The Future as it Could Be
by Dust motes in sunlight
Summary: Six women are brought to the Wall in chains. How are they connected to the Sarmatian knights and how will they change the fate of those knights?
1. Chapter 1

"It is time." The high priestess intoned as her charges both young and old looked up at her from their seats on the ground. "The Goddess has called for six to go out into the world and change the course of history."

Etain sat at the back of the large sunlit clearing her eyes moving over the faces of those around her. The smell of change was in the air. Catching her sister's eye she sent Aeldra a look of thinly veiled annoyance. The high priestess was taking too long. Etain clenched her jaw. Her duties were to stand guard over her priestess sisters with her wolf Arden by her side, not sit in the sun and listen to a lengthy speech as to why the Goddess had called for six of her followers to move out of the safety of Her own protection to change history. Aeldra rolled her eyes and turned back to the high priestess. Today felt different and she didn't want to be distracted by her dark eyed sister.

The high priestess continued. "The names of those leaving us are Aelia, Rhian, Nayla, Eanna, Aeldra, and Etain."

A cry rose up from some of the priestesses, not all were happy with the women chosen. But those who had been called stood up dutifully and moved to stand at the high priestess's right hand. Their destinies had been decided.

"You dare question the Goddess?" The high priestess asked raising her voice.

There was a deathly silence as each priestess lowered her gaze in supplication.

With obedience assured the high priestess turned from her followers to the chosen women at her side.

"Follow me." She said gravely before she turned gracefully on her heel and walked out of the clearing.

The six priestesses followed, their heads lowered in respect.

As the women walked through the forest Etain couldn't help but glance around her, her senses refused to stay quiet as she obediently followed the high priestess.

The small procession stopped only when they stood at the edge of the great river that cut off the lands where they lived and the lands Rome and the Woads had taken for themselves.

"Your belongings and everything you need are on the far bank. But before you leave there are two more ceremonies you must partake in." The high priestess said as she surveyed the women in front of her. "You must all look into the scrying pool and see the future which you must change and then you must all chose names which will keep you safe on your journey from here."

The girls hung back from the pool. It was near the edge of the river and looked to have been naturally carved by the elements. No one was willing to be the first to see an unknown future. It would be their burden to change and their's alone.

The high priestess sighed in exasperation. "Nayla girl, come, you will be first."

Etain watched as a tiny girl stepped hesitantly from the group and towards the pool. She had hair so fair it looked almost white. Her skin was nearly the exact same shade and she had plump pink lips, high cheek bones and blue eyes darkened with fear.

Once at the pool she knelt and bent low over the surface of the water. She stilled there for a few moments before she leant back with a soft sigh.

The high priestess gently smiled and motioned for the girl to stand in front of her. "What will be your new name child?"

Nayla lifted her chin. "Laurel, mother priestess." She said in a soft voice.

The high priestess nodded. "It suites you child. It will be your name until the Goddess shows you otherwise."

"Thank you my lady." The newly christened Laurel said dipping into a flawless curtsey.

"Go and wait with your sisters." The high priestess ordered before turning to the rest of the young women. "Rhian." She called.

The next priestess to step towards the scrying pool had hair dark as a raven's wing, creamy skin, pink lips, feminine curves and midnight blue eyes. She knelt at the pool and leant over the water close enough that her breath made tiny ripples in the surface of the liquid. A moment later she stood up and came to stand in front of the high priestess. Etain noticed that there was a soft smile turning up the corners of her lips.

"My name will be Lynet." She said in answer to the mother priestess's questioning gaze.

"Do you know your destiny?" The high priestess asked.

"Yes my lady." Rhian nodded.

"Go stand with your sisters." The young woman dropped into a curtsey before walking back to her place. "Aeldra." The high priestess called.

Etain watched as her dark haired sister moved to the pool without hesitation and no fear showed in her bright blue eyes or the set of her full lips. She knelt and gazed into the depths of the pool. There was silence from all around and Etain kept her eyes trained on her sister's profile. Suddenly there was a shift in the set of Aeldra's lips. Etain watched as her eyes slid closed for a moment before she took a breath and stood, turning to face their mother priestess.

"You have seen your destiny?"

Aeldra's shoulders straitened and she took up the stance of the warrior she had been since birth. "Yes, my lady." She said.

"And your new name?"

"Lisbet, mother priestess."

With a small nod the high priestess sent Aeldra back to the group.

Etain tried to catch her sister's eye but Aeldra's attention was solely on the next priestess to step forward - a slim, pale, redhead with green eyes called Eanna who renamed herself Kerra. Aelia, the next woman to step forward, was the oldest of the six priestesses by one summer. She had brown hair and delicate features but her hazel eyes stood out, lined by dark eyelashes. Her new name was to be Nola.

Finally the high priestess called Etain's name.

With one last glance at her sister's face Etain stepped to the edge of the pool and knelt fluidly. Leaning over the edge, with the ends of her coal black hair floating on the surface of the water, Etain slowed her breathing and searched the depths of the scrying pool for the vision of her destiny. In between one breath and the next she realised suddenly that she could no longer see the rough stone bottom of the pool. Instead there was only a swirling nothingness pulling her gaze further down into the holy waters. The sounds of the river and her priestess sisters fell away and Etain's ears were met with silence. The darkness suddenly shifted to reveal the bird's eye view of a frozen lake with an army advancing from the right towards eight figures standing in a line at the edge of the ice. Suddenly one of the eight ran forward towards the army and stopped in the middle of the lake. He (and it was a he Etain realised as she plummeted down into the middle of the scene) raised his axe above his head and slammed it down into the ice with a shout she could not hear. Realising her destiny was tied to this man's Etain studied him, locking away his image in her mind. He was taller than any man she had ever seen, with broad shoulders and a shaved head. An ugly scar ran from bellow his eye to the middle of his cheek and another ran across his head. As he raised his axe a fifth time to smash the ice an arrow slammed into his chest. Etain watched in horror as he fell to his knees a second arrow in his side and then his axe came down, slicing into the ice. It cracked and she watched as the giant fell into the freezing water bellow. Without thinking the young woman reached out to help him only to have the scene melt before her eyes. The scene that replaced it made her gasp. She was standing in the middle of a battlefield, the ground beneath her feet slick with blood and gore. Casting her eyes over the carnage in front of her Etain watched as a man with dark curly hair, dressed in black armour, took a crossbow bolt to the chest. His body jerked back a few steps. In a last bid he threw his sword slaughtering an enemy soldier before he fell to his knees his eyes dimming in death. The scene then melted and changed again. She was standing on the same battle-field but in another area. Two men stood fighting. The first had long blonde hair and a beard. The second, she could only see from behind. Suddenly the blonde warrior pulled his sword through the side of the other causing a fatal wound. The injured man spun with the momentum of the attack and fell to his knees with his back to his killer. Etain stepped forward as he started to crawl towards her, trying to see the man's face so that she would know him again to save him. The man who had injured the dark warrior grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled him to his feet. The mortally wounded man lifted his head and Etain froze, her breath leaving her body as she caught sight of his eyes. They weren't dark as she had expected but rather an amber colour she had never seen before. The rest of the scene wavered and faded leaving Etain with the memory of those haunting eyes seared into her mind.

"Save them." An unearthly voice entered her mind shocking her. With a gasp Etain pulled away from the scrying pool. Her vision slowly came back to her and she looked up to see Aeldra had stepped towards her.

"Are you well Sister Etain?" The high priestess asked.

Etain turned to look at her. The high priestess knew what she had seen. With a curt nod the young woman stood and moved to stand in front of the mother priestess.

"I know my destiny and my name will be Helena." Etain said before she could be asked. With a swift curtsy the warrior then turned and walked to stand beside her newly named sisters, impatient to leave.

"Well done chosen ones." The high priestess sighed. "A boat will take you to the other side of the river and from there you will begin your journey. Remember all that you have been taught here and go with the protection of the Mighty Mother, Ruler of All." Her blessing given, the high priestess turned and melted back into the tree line of the forest.

The six women were left alone. "Let's move." Aeldra ordered before turning to the river and climbing down the small incline of its bank. The other women followed silently as they piled into the small boat and were rowed to the other shore by an old man. Once on the other side they found their belongings strapped to the backs of their horses. Etain stepped to Chaos, her black stallion's side, and checked the straps of his saddle before she let out a shrill whistle. Her call was met by the soft thud of padded feet and an excited yip as her grey wolf came bounding out of the forest.

"Do you think it is wise to bring Arden, Etain? This is his home." Aeldra asked from the saddle of her grey mare.

"He will not leave me and his protection will be welcome on this journey, sister." Etain snapped as she swung up onto Chaos's back.

"Very well." Aeldra murmured before she wheeled her mount around and started to ride away from the river. "Come we must make camp before dark."

* * *

Later that night after the six women had made camp they sat around their small campfire trying to stay warm.

"Where will we go to from here?" Eanna asked in a soft whisper as though she were scared of the answer.

"North." Aeldra spoke up.

"Why north, sister?" Aelia asked.

"The Goddess told me at the scrying pool that we must go north to Hadrian's Wall. It is but a seven day journey from here." Aeldra answered her gaze seeing nothing as she stared into the flickering flames of their fire.

Etain clenched her jaw and stood swiftly upsetting Arden who had settled his head in her lap. "I will take first watch." She said coldly before turning away and moving out into the night. A few minutes later she was joined by Rhian.

"What troubles you sister?"

Etain kept her eyes trained on the darkness in front of her and her ears open for Arden's warning bark if they were attacked. "Aeldra saw something in her vision that upset her. But she will not tell me what it is."

"Have you asked her?" Rhian asked softly.

Etain cut a glance at her. "I should not have to." She murmured.

There was silence between the two for a few moments before Rhian spoke again. "Since we are to be companions on this long and possibly dangerous mission I would like to ask you a question if that is alright."

Etain smirked out into the dark forest. "Since we are on this long and dangerous journey I will allow you your question."

"Your tattoo, what does it mean?" Rhian asked turning to look at her sister priestess fully.

"We are all Sarmatian are we not?" Etain asked.

"Yes, but none of the others have markings such as you." Rhian murmured studying the dark curved writing etched into Etain's left cheek. It stretched from just under her eye, nearly to her jaw.

"Aeldra does. We are from a tribe far in the south of Sarmatia. We live on the banks of the Great Black Sea. Both men and women are thought of as equals when it comes to fighting. Our female warriors are feared even by the Romans. They call us the Death Shadows. My tattoo," Etain lifted her hand and traced the lines. "Is sacred. It numbers how many of the enemy I have slaughtered. Aeldra prefers to hide hers on her arm." Etain brushed her fingers from her shoulder to elbow, indicating where Aeldra's tattoo was. "I prefer my enemies to see the number of their deaths written on my face."

Rhian stood silently mulling over Etain's words.

"Do I disgust you sister?" Etain asked softly.

Rhian smiled. "No. But you must tell me, is it true that you Death Shadows can call down the darkness to cloak themselves and the fog to blind their enemies?"

"If that were true this tattoo would be much longer." Etain smirked with a small twist of her full lips as she glanced at Rhian before she tilted her head to the sky and studied the ceiling of branches above their heads. "You should get some rest sister. Aeldra and I will patrol during the night. There is nothing to fear with us on watch."

"I will only leave if you agree to talk to Aeldra, Etain." Rhian said softly.

"Then you should go and sleep easy. I will talk to her."

"Tonight." Rhian added.

At Etain's resigned sigh Rhian smiled. "Good night, Etain."

"My name is Helena." Etain growled as Rhian turned and went back to the campsite.

Her exasperation was only met with silence and Etain settled back to wait in silence for the turn of the watch. A few hours later she knelt beside Aeldra and shook her shoulder.

"Aeldra, it is time for your watch." She whispered so she wouldn't wake the other women sleeping around her.

Instantly, Aeldra was awake and sitting up, but before she could get up from the ground to patrol the area, Etain caught her shoulder.

"What did you see at the scrying pool?" Etain asked.

Sighing, Aeldra turned to her younger sister. "I saw that I must save you from death. It was not a vision I enjoyed watching." She said wirily.

Etain nodded and let her go, settling down to sleep. "Thank you for telling me."

Aeldra's jaw clenched as she turned from the warmth of the fire and disappeared into the dark.

* * *

Five days into their journey Etain was leading the column of women along a forest path when Arden's frantic barking and snarling erupted from between the trees to her right. Wheeling Chaos around she shouted for the others to turn back. The drum of many hooves sounded behind her as the priestesses turned their mounts and tried to flee. Their escape was cut off by three Roman soldiers on horse back.

"No." She heard Aeldra scream as Eanna was dragged from her horse by a soldier. Etain watched as her and her sisters were surrounded by Roman soldiers. There was no time to fight as their escape was cut off in all directions. A glimpse of grey from the corner of her eye made her whistle loudly telling Arden to hide.

"Well, well, well. To journey this far north of Hadrian's Wall is dangerous for women alone." One of the Romans said as he urged his horse forward. "Unless you want your friend to die I suggest each of you dismount and hand over any weapons you may have."

Etain snarled, but seeing the fear in Eanna's eyes and the wicked looking dagger at her throat she obeyed the Roman pig.

Soldiers stepped forward and took the weapons each woman dropped at her feet.

"Good girls." The Roman said again. "I am Captain Leonidus of the fifth cavalry and infantry of Rome and you are all my prisoners. My men and I will escort you to Hadrian's Wall and once there Commander Castus will decide if you are Woad spies."

Each woman was then grabbed by a guard, her hands tied behind her back before being force marched for another five miles before the Captain decided to make camp.

Six stakes were driven into the ground each a foot apart and the priestesses were then forced to their knees and tied to the posts.

"Tell them nothing." Aeldra hissed in their own language when they were finally left alone. "No matter what they do to you, tell them nothing." She was taken by a group of soldiers half an hour later and her screams tore through the campsite drowning out the jeering of the men who had taken her.

Over the next few hours each woman was taken by a different group of men, each one screamed save Etain.

The next night the legion camped a few hours from the wall to 'enjoy their prisoners a little more' Captain Leonidus said.

"Hey, what are you doing Lucien?" A soldier asked as one of his comrades in arms stood from the warmth of their camp fire and walked over to the women sitting huddled on the snow-covered ground.

"This one doesn't scream, they say she doesn't have a tongue." The soldier sneered leering down at Etain. "If she doesn't have a tongue," he continued, starting to unlace his breeches, "then there will be more room for my-" He was cut off as Etain slammed her foot into his groin.

He fell with a scream. Etain pushed herself to her feet untangling her hands from the bindings she had managed to work loose. Two Roman soldiers lunged at her angrily but she grabbed the sword of her fallen victim and easily killed them both. Realising that they had underestimated her, the other soldier's drew their own weapons and stood to fight.

With a cruel smile Etain called Arden to her side. The men stepped back in fear, their minds easily falling prey to superstitious thoughts.

Swinging her stolen sword, Etain pulled out a dagger and threw it to Aeldra, knowing that the Roman Legionnaires' fear would only last for a few moments.

She was right. A moment later five men charged at her. She managed to take down one, and Arden ripped out the throat of another, but they were both overwhelmed by the numbers, and Etain felt her sword ripped from her hand. With one last struggle, she sent Arden away from the fight and threw her last dagger into the chest of a Roman soldier who was aiming an arrow at the wolf's retreating form.

"Enough." A loud shout broke over the scene and the mottled purple face of an enraged Captain Leonidus emerged from his tent. "Bring her to my tent and I will deal with her. And make sure to secure the others and check them thoroughly for anymore weapons." He added before disappearing in a swirl of his heavy cloak.

Etain was dragged to her knees. Her hands were tied behind her and then her elbows were forced together behind her back and cruelly bound as well. She was then pulled to her feet and marched into the Captain's tent. As the tent flap closed behind her Etain felt fear coil in the pit of her stomach for the torture her sister's would endure by the hands of the Romans now that she had failed to free them.

"So you wish to fight." Leonidus said his form bent over a small desk sitting beside his sleeping pallet.

Etain didn't answer and instead adopted a bored look and tried to ignore the pain from her wrenched shoulders and back.

"I have heard my men talk. You make no noise when they take you and you fight until they finish with you." There was silence as Leonidus straitened and turned to her. A chill slid down her spine as she saw the lust glittering in his eyes. "You will learn your place by my hand and I will be the one to break you." He jerked his head ordering his men out of the tent without words. "If you fight me I will kill one of the women out there in the snow and make you watch as the earth soaks up her life blood." Leonidus added as he moved toward her.

Etain clenched her jaw and let her mind wander back to the green steppes and sandy beaches of Sarmatia as his hand seized her throat.

* * *

Etain's body landed at Aelia's feet with a thud as the soldier who had dragged her from Leonidus' tent threw her to the ground. For hours the Roman Captain had forced himself on her and tortured her to make her scream but she had refused to give in to the pain or in to him. Finally he had tired of her and she had been dragged back out to her sisters by his guard.

"Are you alright, sister?" Aelia asked close to tears.

Etain glanced up at the women she had sworn to protect. Nayla and Rhian were crying openly but what was more disturbing was to see Eanna sitting curled in on herself and staring silently at the snow wetting her ripped and dirty skirt as Aeldra tried to comfort her. Unable to fight the pain or rage anymore Etain lay her head on the frozen ground and prayed to the Goddess for release for herself and her sisters.


	2. Chapter 2

"Open the gates!" The call went up and travelled down the battlements as Captain Leonidus and his men marched down the road that ran parallel to the Wall.

The six priestesses shuffled on in their forced march.

Well, the Goddess has indeed led us to the wall, Etain thought tiredly as she watched Aeldra grab Eanna's arm as the girl stumbled. She had contracted a fever over night and was falling asleep on her feet even now. Rhian was in much the same condition. The Roman soldiers had taken a liking to her beauty and had taken her more than the others.

Turning back to the road in front of her Etain sent up a prayer to the Goddess that every priestess would make it to the fort.

Just as the column of soldiers and their prisoners stepped into the fort Nayla fell to her knees with a strangled sob. Etain was closest to her and made it to her side as a soldier stepped forward, his hand raised to strike the woman. Etain stepped in front of the younger woman and snarled angrily at her attacker. He stepped back, fear evident in his cautious stance. Hoping to push him further, Etain bit the inside of her cheek drawing blood. Spitting it at his feet she cursed him in her native tongue. The soldier, pride of the Roman Empire, yelled and threw himself back startling the horses behind him. They reared and kicked their hooves into the air. Etain watched with satisfaction as one of the horses clipped the soldier in the head with its hoof. The man fell and Etain knew he wouldn't be getting back up again.

"What's happening here?" A calm, authoritive voice asked.

The crowd of soldiers stepped back from the priestesses letting a tall, dark haired, green eyed man through.

"Commander Castus!" Captain Leonidus exclaimed as he scrambled to salute his superior. Etain hated the sight of Leonidus deferring to the Commander. It meant that this Castus was an even greater threat than she had realised.

"What is the meaning of this Captain? Why are these women tied up?"

"They are my prisoners, Sir. My legion found them on our patrol south of the wall. I believe them to be Woad spies if not Saxon spies." Leonidus simpered.

"Six women travelling alone? Yes, they are fearsome spies." The dark haired man who stepped forward was the one who had taken a crossbow bolt to his chest in Etain's vision, she realised with a jolt. He moved to stand beside Commander Castus. "Arthur, you truly believe that these women are dangerous?"

The one called Arthur didn't answer.

"She is." Leonidus said pointing to Etain. "She has killed five of my men and has maimed another before today."

Etain turned her cold black eyes on him and he flinched.

"And she's a witch." One of Leonidus' men added.

The dark knight who stood beside Arthur scoffed. "Can your God not protect you from a little girl?"

The soldier stepped toward him angrily.

"Enough, Lancelot." Arthur commanded before turning to Leonidus. "Rome does not take women prisoner unless they attack you."

"She has killed five of my men." Leonidus growled.

"And she will be punished for it but these others, have they done anything to harm you or your men, Captain?" Arthur asked.

"Well, no. But-."

"Then they will go to the healer and you will report your suspicions to me." Arthur said dismissing Leonidus.

Etain turned to help Nayla and her other sisters, noticing, as she did, that other men had come to stare at them. There was a young man with dark hair and a dark beard who looked as if he was trying to hide his youth behind his whiskers. Another stepped forward and she noticed he had a shaved head, was barrel-chested and looked strong. A third came to stand beside his comrades. He was taller than the rest and Etain recognised him as the one whom she had seen fall through the ice in the same vision. Next to him stood a man with long tawny hair. And then behind them stood a dark man with long hair that covered his eyes and an emotionless face. This was why the Goddess had sent them to Hadrian's Wall Etain realised as she saw two of the three men she was destined to save.

Silently she turned to help Aelia in getting Nayla to her feet.

"Death Shadow." The name was whispered by the youngest of the men who had come to watch and Etain's black eyes turned instantly to him.

She felt the eyes of these men on her and curled her lip angrily. Why would this boy know what she was?

"Go and rest now Captain." Arthur continued.

Realising that she would loose her chance to slaughter the man who had done wrong and defiled her and her sisters Etain lunged forward and grabbed a dagger from the saddle of a horse in front of her. She dodged the animal's hooves as it reared at her sudden movement, and threw herself at Leonidus' back with a scream of rage. Her sudden attack was stopped by the edge of a sword at her neck.

"You are already condemned for murder, girl. I wouldn't make the charges worse if I were you." The man called Lancelot said as he kept his sword at her neck.

Arthur sighed. "You will be placed in the stocks until I have decided on a punishment which fits your crime."

As he turned away Etain dodged under Lancelot's sword too quickly for him to react and ran at Arthur her dagger raised. In the next second she was pinned on her stomach to the ground by a heavy weight. "Move and my blade will taste your blood." A smoky, accented voice she did not recognise said from above her. The dagger was taken from her hand and then the weight was gone to be replaced by the rough hands of Roman guards.

As they pulled her to her feet Etain saw her sisters' fearful looks. She dared not speak to them in their own language, afraid that if the young one knew of Death Shadows then he may well know the Sarmation language. Aeldra stepped towards her as they dragged her away but Etain shook her head silently telling the older woman not to endanger herself.

She was dragged into the middle of a square which was surrounded by wattle and daub buildings, at the centre stood two posts with manacles nailed to them. Etain was made to kneel in between the two posts and her hands were shackled. The chains of these shackles were too short for her to sit comfortably.

"Enjoy your stay, whore." One of the guards said before both men turned, laughing, and left her.

* * *

Aeldra watched as the Roman guards took Etain away. Everything was happening as she had seen in her vision and she knew she had only three days to fulfil the mission the Goddess had given to her. With a trembling sigh she turned to see Commander Castus leaving.

"Commander, please, I ask you for sanctuary for my sisters and I." She said quickly.

Arthur turned to her. "Sanctuary?" He asked. "Your sister kills five men under my command and you expect sanctuary?"

"Your God calls for his followers to forgive."

"My men expect their leader to punish those who have done wrong." Arthur said angrily.

"Then every Roman under Captain Leonidus' command and even the Captain himself should be punished for what they have done to my sisters and I." Aeldra snapped.

Arthur took a step towards her, the men behind him tensing at his close proximity to the stranger. "Do not presume, Lady, that you may give me orders." Arthur growled dangerously.

Aeldra clenched her jaw in anger. "Would you wish to see the wounds they inflicted or would you rather hear of the atrocities we endured, or have us account every shameful minute they forced themselves upon us, Commander." She hissed ignoring Aelia's calming hand on her arm.

"They are the Roman army not the barbarians you paint them to be." Arthur said before ordering the women to be escorted to the infirmary then to spare rooms in the fort which would be guarded night and day.

"Ask the soldier that was maimed, for the truth." Aeldra said as he turned on his heel and walked away from the group of bedraggled women.

* * *

Etain heard the whispers of the people who walked passed her. News travelled quickly at Hadrians Wall it would seem, she mused silently. Each villager gossiped of the scene she had caused and of their fear of her. She was dangerous and the tattoo that was etched into her skin was believed to be the mark of evil. Mothers gave her a wide berth keeping their children as far away from her as possible. Men leered at her and spoke of how they would have her if they could but one glance from her dark eyes sent them scuttling away in fear. The older children encouraged each other to get as close to her as they dared before they decided to start tormenting her. It started as harmless names and she doubted they knew what half of them meant. But by the second day of her punishment they were throwing small stones at her. She had been keeping her gaze lowered until one stone, larger than the others, struck her on the cheek. She felt a small trail of blood slide down her face and her anger flared. Turning her cold gaze onto the group of children she stood slowly. Each child was unable to run, their eyes locked with hers in fear.

Etain spoke to them in Sarmation, her voice a low hiss. "Throw rocks again, little ones, and I will not be so forgiving."

Keeping her gaze on the children she sneered and then turned away to look at her new audience. She heard the pounding of the children's feet as they raced away from the square. Some were crying, she realised, as she recognised the man standing in the shadows, who now had her full attention. He was one of the men who had been with Arthur when she had been sentenced to the stocks, the one with dark hair obscuring his eyes. Still unable to see his face clearly Etain sent him a dark glare and, with an angry hiss she turned away and sat back down on the ground again, her thoughts slipping back to her homeland.

* * *

Aeldra sat on her cot staring at the wall in front of her. She had been confined to this room for two days and her body was screaming at her that she needed to save Etain this night. With a moan she forced herself to her feet and stalked to the door. It opened before she could touch the handle revealing Leonidus flanked by two of his men.

* * *

Etain sat kneeling on the ground. Her head bowed as she fought against fatigue, hunger and thirst. Her arms hanging awkwardly at her side due to the shortness of the chains binding her. She felt her strength draining from her and knew that if she was not freed soon she would be useless to help her sisters let alone save three of Arthur's men.

She sighed as she heard Arden's howling call. He had managed to slip into the fort unnoticed the day her and her sisters had been brought here by Leonidus and his men and would visit her in the early hours of the morning to comfort her. The sounds of revelry coming from the tavern at the end of the road to her left made anger boil in her veins.

Lifting her head Etain turned to the alley directly in front of her. Four different footsteps echoed from there. Etain's eyes widened in fear as she saw Aeldra fall out of the mouth of the pitch black alley and into the moonlit square, her knife clattering to the ground and spinning away from her. Leonidus followed her out and had her pinned to the ground in a matter of seconds. Two of his men followed him out at a slower pace.

"Did you think you could get away from me?" Leonidus growled struggling to hold Aeldra down. Etain stood up silently, the chains holding her captive clinking and groaning as she strained against them.

"Now your sister will see you raped before I gut you like a fish." Leonidus added as he pinned Aeldra beneath his body.

The soldiers who had followed Leonidus and Aeldra turned silently to Etain and started to move across the square their eyes glinting with lust.

A flash of silver-grey, seen from the corner of her eye, made Etain smirk cruelly. In the next instant one of the soldiers was tackled by her loyal wolf and his screams echoed as Arden mauled him.

A gasp from the direction of the tavern made the presence of a man and woman known to Etain but she kept her eyes trained on Aeldra and Leonidus. The man sent his woman away with the order to get Arthur and the other knights and stepped forward to stop the soldier who had drawn his sword on Etain.

Etain could hear running footsteps coming up behind her but knew they would not get to Aeldra in time. Throwing her whole body against the chains she felt her hands slip in the blood from her chafed wrists and her hands slowly slid free.

She hit her knees when the restraint of the chains was gone. The dagger that Aeldra had dropped was just in front of her. Closing her hand around it she screamed her battle cry pulling Leonidus' attention from her sister to her. He sent her a bloodthirsty look and only glanced back at Aeldra to backhand her across the cheek before he stood. Someone screamed then, as Aeldra suddenly stood up and threw herself at Leonidus. Etain watched as her sister slid away from him a moment later. He pushed her away from him and rage exploded within Etain as she realised Aeldra's blood now stained his dagger and hands. He moved towards her and in the next breath Etain's blade had passed through the soft flesh of his throat. An arc of blood, turned black by the night, sprayed across her face as she cut him down where he stood.

Time seemed to slow as Etain lifted her gaze to where Aeldra lay, the other priestesses kneeling at her side. The large man who Etain was destined to save from the frozen lake was standing to the side with his head bowed and blood on his hands. Etain stumbled forward and fell to her knees at Aeldra's side.

"You cannot die." She whispered her voice barely carrying to her sisters around her.

"It is my destiny." Aeldra answered her voice weakening with every word spoken. "This is what the Goddess showed me would happen. I had to save you and then I would be called to serve her in paradise." She added reaching out to clasp Etain's arm weakly.

"No." Etain shook her head.

"Yes, little one. Now you must fulfil your destiny. But always remember that I will be with you."

Etain watched as the light faded slowly from Aeldra's eyes and her grip loosened on her sleeve. A roaring filled her ears, blocking out the weeping of her sisters. When Aeldra's hand dropped to the ground Etain stood up and backed away from the body and her grieving sisters. She let her eyes slide over the bodies and blood as she stumbled and fell to her knees.

Feeling the weight of her blade still in her hand she looked down at it emotionlessly. Lifting it above her head she took a breath to steady her heart beat and brought the point down towards her chest.

Her hands were caught in a strong grip before she could finish the deed and Etain collapsed back against a solid body, a single broken sob ripped from her throat before she struggled uselessly against the hands that still held her wrists captive.

Arden slowly padded towards his mistress and sat down in front of her, his grey fur darkened by the blood of his victim.

The silence in the square was painful until suddenly Etain threw back her head and both wolf and woman howled and screamed their pain to the moon, before Etain collapsed and folded in on herself, pressing her forehead to the ground. Her grip loosened on the dagger enough for the dark man restraining her to pull the weapon from her grasp.

* * *

"Etain, sister, you must wake up."

Etain tried to block out the voice but it was persistent and a hand was shaking her arm. Slowly she opened her eyes to see Aelia standing over her.

"Aeldra's burial rites are to be performed in an hour." The older woman said gently.

Getting up from the small bed she had been asleep on Etain walked to the basin of water sitting beside the bed and washed the grime and dirt off her skin. With trembling hands she pushed hair from her face before allowing Aelia to brush and braid half of it back. She then stripped off her tunic and breeches and pulled on the grey dress that was lying at the end of the bed. Taking up the stick of kohl that sat on the table next to her bed she coloured the skin around her eyes with the black pigment. When Etain was finished Aelia realised that the paleness of her skin and the darkness around her black eyes gave her a ghostly appearance. With a sad sigh Aelia stepped forward a bowl of steaming stew and a spoon in her outstretched hands. Ignoring the offering and the delicious scent of the stew that was making her mouth water, Etain picked up the black veil that she was to wear for the burial.

"You must eat Etain. You are of no use to anybody if you feint." Aelia said gently.

Levelling her empty gaze at the brunette Etain held out the veil, silently asking for Aelia's help to pin it on.

With a sigh the bowl and spoon was put down and Aelia took the veil from Etain's hands.

Once the covering was in place Etain turned and left the room. Aelia felt tears pool in her eyes. Etain was loosing herself in her grief and there was no way to help her.

* * *

The funeral procession that filed from the fort on that overcast day, to the hill above it, was silent. The five remaining priestesses had been joined by Arthur, his six Sarmation knights, and Vanora, Bors lover. Arden prowled at his mistress's side. Etain had not spoken since Aeldra's death and so Aelia had given permission for this to happen. Arthur had begged the forgiveness of each woman for what they had been through at the hands of Captain Leonidus and his men. One of the soldiers who had been with Leonidus the night before, had escaped Arden's wrath, and had been restrained by Bors. Arthur had questioned him and he had confessed the truth of what had been done to the priestesses. As recompense Arthur had offered the women a home at the Wall and had told them that Etain was redeemed of any wrong doing because she had been trying to protect her sisters. The rest of Leonidus' legionnaires were punished.

The priestesses had decided to stay at the Wall and had asked to bury their fallen sister next to the other Sarmation knights that had died in service to Rome. Arthur had agreed and when the knights had heard that these women were Sarmation they had asked to honour Aeldra in the same way any Sarmation warrior would be.

And so they now stood atop the hill that held the bones of so many great Sarmation knights and laid Aeldra's body in the ground with her sword standing at the head of her grave and a fire burning on top of the burial mound. Her sister priestesses stood at one side and Arthur, his knights and Vanora stood on the other. Slowly Etain sank to her knees beside the fresh dug earth of her sister's grave, Arden sitting like a silent sentinel at her side. Lifting her veil, she pressed her hand into the hot ashes at the edge of the fire. With a violent swipe, she drew an ash-gray mark over her face in the practice of her tribe. Her sisters bowed their heads as Nayla spoke the words of the song that was close to all their hearts.

"Land of bear and eagle. Land that gave us firth and blessing. Land that calls us ever homeward. We will go home across the mountains. We lift you to the Goddess sister and pray you will be at peace in your final rest."

As Nayla's words fell away and her voice was carried off in the wind Etain lifted her gaze to sweep over those around her. Her kinsmen and women; and even a Roman and a Briton. As her eyes scanned the noble Sarmation knights in front of her the sun broke through the clouds and fell across them. Etain felt everything around her slow as her eyes fell on the knight she had been told was called Tristan. He was the dark figure whose eyes were always obscured by his hair. But as a ray of golden light fell across his face Etain froze. His eyes were suddenly revealed and they were the eyes of the final warrior she had seen in her visions. Her mind reeled at the revelation and she felt a soft voice whisper in her mind.

"You must save them all but this one will be your true destiny, the call of your soul, your heart song."

Anger filled her at the Goddess's words and her mind rebelled against them. She would save these warriors but this man was not her true destiny. She made a promise to herself then. She would save these Sarmation knights but she would not allow another into her heart. Once her destiny was fulfilled she would lay down beside Aeldra's grave and give her life blood to the earth.

The moment passed quickly and Etain lowered her gaze to the heart of the fire on her sister's grave her promise ringing in her mind as the sun slipped back behind the clouds.


	3. Chapter 3

For two months the priestesses grieved and settled into their new home at the wall. All five women were grateful to not have fallen pregnant after all they had been through. The Goddess had been watching over them and they were strong enough to heal quickly both mentally and physically. Rhian took a position as a healer and was even able to teach the fort healer and Dagonet, the large quiet knight, of a few new medicinal herbs and poultices. Nayla and Eanna put their seamstress skills to good use and their clothes were soon in great demand throughout the fort and village. Aelia had become fast friends with Vanora and had taken a vacant position as a server in Vanora's tavern and was adept at dodging the advances of any man there. It was Etain that worried her sisters. She was talking again but had lost the light from her eyes and preferred to sit alone with Chaos or Arden. The soldiers and villagers gave her a wide berth and whispered that she was a witch. She hardly slept and was seen standing beside her sister's grave on most nights. The tattoo down her cheek had grown longer to add the numbers of the seven soldiers she had killed and Leonidus' as well.

As a healer Rhian had pricked the skin of Etain's cheek and jaw until it bled before rubbing the ink into the wounds to mark her skin. The older woman had then asked her to add one more mark to the tattoo. Rhian had blanched at the idea of marking a number for Aeldra but Etain had threatened to do it herself and the priestess had relented so that she would not cause herself more harm. And so the warrior had her sister's number marked into her skin as an everlasting sign of her guilt and loss.

* * *

It had been nearly three months since the priestesses had started their new lives at Hadrian's Wall and still, Etain was unable to find a place of work.

Knowing that she had no other choice but to try and convince Arthur that she should go with him and his knights on missions, she started toward the barracks, where Arthur and his men were housed; Arden loping along at his mistress's heels. Men and women stepped out of their way with fear and loathing. Ignoring them, Etain continued on her way, a number of Vanora and Bors' children falling into line behind her in a silent game of 'follow the leader'.

Secretly, Etain enjoyed the fearlessness the Sarmation knight's children showed around her.

When she came to the entrance of the barracks, she found her way blocked by three Roman legionnaires.

"I wish to see Commander Castus." Etain told them, unconcerned when the soldiers stiffened and put their hands to the hilt of their swords. The deaths of Captain Leonidus and seven of his men at her hands, was a widely known fact. Arden stood beside her ready to fight in a moment.

"You are not permitted into the barracks, witch." One of the men snapped, only to flinch as Etain turned her dark eyes on him.

"I did not ask for entrance, Roman." Etain said her voice emotionless. "Inform Commander Castus that I wish to see him."

One soldier, braver than the rest, stepped forward and loomed over her, earning a warning snarl from the grey wolf at her side. "I am not a messenger, witch. Leave." He commanded. "And take the Sarmatian dog's bastards with you." He added before lashing out at one of the children who had stepped too close.

Before he could complete the action, Etain had pulled the little girl out of the way and had a blade at his throat. Arden stood up, his hackles rising and a growl started to build in his chest.

The soldier's comrades stepped forward, drawing their swords. Etain didn't even spare them a glance.

"To hit a child in Sarmatia meant one hundred lashes and salt rubbed into each and every wound. However, you should be grateful that I don't take an ear instead, Roman pig." She growled her dark gaze boring into his blue eyes.

"Etain, come. Arthur and his men are at the tavern." Eanna's voice came from behind Etain.

With a dark look and a hiss, Etain sheathed her blade and turned on her heel, following the red-head away from the barracks. Arden snapped his jaws at the Roman legionnaires, smelling their fear, before he turned and stalked after his mistress. Bors' children ran off to play, knowing that Etain had other business to attend to and that staying near the Roman soldiers was dangerous.

Etain took Eanna's hand, knowing the fear the younger woman was hiding.

Eanna sent her a grateful look as they stepped into the noisy tavern.

"I believe two of the most beautiful women in all of Britain have just walked into our midst." Lancelot's jovial voice sounded over the chatter in the room.

Eanna instantly blushed while Etain ignored the dark knight's words, leading Eanna to the table where Arthur and his men sat, enjoying the food and drink Vanora's tavern was known for. Arden moved to sit beside Galahad, earning a sliver of meat from the knight's own plate for his trouble and then let Dagonet pat his head.

"What may we do for you Warrioress and Little Mouse?" Gawain asked leaning forward on his elbows and winking at Etain and Eanna in turn.

Eanna's cheeks flamed again and she slipped away to talk to Aelia who was behind the bar filling clay jugs with ale and wine.

Having no time to joke with the knights, Etain turned to Arthur. "Could we speak outside, Commander?"

Arthur nodded and stood from the bench he was sharing with Galahad and Bors. He led Etain back outside, turning to her expectantly.

"I wish to join you and your men on missions." Etain said bluntly.

Arthur shook his head. "Women do not fight, Etain. You would be safer here within the fort. Vanora may be able to give you work."

Etain's jaw clenched as she tried to reign in her anger. "I may be a woman, Arthur, but I have been a warrior my whole life. Let me use those skills."

Arthur's green eyes became pitying. "You do not need to fight any longer. Settle here, become one of the people of this fort. Find a man to take care of you. Live the life of a woman, not a warrior." He said before turning to go back to his men.

But Etain could not hold her tongue. "Be safe in this fort? Find a man to protect me? Those are meaningless words to one such as I, Arthur." She snapped.

He turned back to her, anger in the movement. "You would do well to remember your place, Lady." He said his voice low so that they wouldn't attract the attention of any of the fort's inhabitants.

"I know my place, Commander. It is as an outcast." Etain said, her face void of any emotion. "I will die on a battlefield, with blood on my hands. Not as an aged wife, mother and grandmother. That is my fate. No man will have me and now that the people here know how many I have killed, I will never be welcomed. At least, with you and your men, I will not be a murderer."

Arthur searched her face but he knew what she was saying was true. Running a hand through his hair, he sighed. "You would be under my command. Can you follow orders and not question me?" He asked, levelling his green-eyed gaze with her dark one.

Etain opened her mouth to answer only to sense movement behind her and hear Eanna cry out. Spinning, she took the blow that was meant for Arthur. The assassin's blade slid into her right shoulder and the man hesitated. It was all the opening she needed, pulling the blade from her own flesh, she slid it between his ribs easily.

And then the screaming started. Women and children were ushered away as the Sarmatian knights ran to aid their commander. Aelia and Eanna were at Etain's side as soon as the assassin fell, dead at her feet.

"A simple 'yes' would have been an answer." Arthur said, his gaze conveying his gratitude to Etain as she pressed a hand to her bloody shoulder.

"Come." Dagonet said, motioning in the direction of the infirmary. "You need stitches."

Etain nodded and took a step to follow him, only to have her world tilt and sway and then her knees gave way.

Galahad was the closest to her and managed to catch her, before he lowered her gently to the ground.

"Etain? What is it? What's wrong?" Aelia asked, kneeling beside the younger woman.

"Get Rhian." Etain said from between clenched teeth as a wave of pain ripped through her body. She looked up at Aelia and the others around her. "The blade was poisoned." She managed to say as her world went dark.

Dagonet was the first to react. Sweeping the unconscious girl into his arms he sprinted in the direction of the infirmary calling for someone to bring the poisoned blade with them.

The others followed close behind leaving Arthur and Lancelot to deal with the corpse. Galahad had the presence of mind to pull the dagger from the assassin's body before he followed Dagonet.

Rhian looked up in fright from the stitches she was tying off on her patient's leg when the infirmary door burst open, only to see Dagonet striding to an empty cot, Etain, bleeding and unconscious in his arms.

"What happened?" she asked shocked as she had her assistant bandage her patient's leg.

Dagonet brushed Etain's hair away from her face as he put pressure on the wound in her shoulder. "An assassin. She took the blade that was meant for Arthur."

"A blade would not bring Etain down." Rhian said suddenly feeling scared as she felt Etain's forehead for any sign of fever. The young woman's skin was hot and dry, not a good sign.

Pounding footfalls preceded the entrance of all of Arthur's knights save Lancelot, and Tristan who was out scouting, as well as Nayla, Aelia and Eanna.

Galahad held out a bloody dagger. "It's poisoned."

Rhian paled as she took the blade, dripping with her sister's blood, from his hands. Bringing the metal close to her face she examined it for any indication of what kind of poison was used. It only took her a moment to recognise the bitter odour that permeated from the weapon.

She jerked away from it. "Goddess, no." She breathed frightened.

"Rhian, tell us what it is. That you can heal her." Nayla said panicked, stepping toward the healer only to have Galahad put a calming hand on her arm.

"It is Serpent's Tongue." Rhian said quickly as she turned, dropping the knife into a bowl of water set over a brazier, before moving to help Dagonet bind Etain's shoulder.

"No, it cannot be." Aelia said her head jerking as she shook it. "It only grows near the Great Black Sea, not anywhere near here."

"That assassin was trying to make it look like a Sarmatian had ordered Arthur killed." Rhian said stroking Etain's hair. "He didn't think Etain would be fast enough to stop him."

Gawain looked around. "You're giving up?" he asked suddenly angry. "You won't even help her?"

Rhian turned her tear stained face to him, anger and pain clear to everyone. "The only cure requires the root of the Blood Leaf plant. I do not have enough left, and even if I did, the cure takes more lives than it saves."

Gawain moved to loom over her, grabbing her arm. "She saved Arthur's life and you're going to just let her die?" he ground out from between clenched teeth.

Rhian slapped him, the sound echoing through the suddenly deathly silent room. "I can not save her." She whispered before crumpling as the tears she had been bravely holding in flowed.

Gawain pulled the small healer against his chest, holding her as sobs wracked her body.

The door flew open a moment later and Arthur and Lancelot burst into the room only to stop when the scene in front of them made sense.

Arthur stood tall as he walked to kneel at Etain's bedside. "She will die for me?" he asked Dagonet who stood at the foot of the cot where Etain lay, quiet and pale as death save for the sporadic rise and fall of her chest.

"No." Aelia said suddenly. She caught Rhian's arm, pulling her gently from where she still stood in the protective circle of Gawain's arms. "How much Blood Leaf do you need?"

Rhian looked up at the older woman her coal black eyelashes spidery with tears. "Much more than I have with me."

"Would a saddle bag full do?" Aelia asked impatiently resisting the urge to shake some spirit into the girl before her.

Rhian looked at her confused. "Yes, but-"

Aelia didn't let her finish, instead she turned to Arthur who was still kneeling beside Etain's bed, praying. "Tristan is out in the woods, Commander. Arden will find him faster than any horse and rider ever could."

* * *

Once more the everyday hustle and bustle of Hadrians Wall was shattered by the sight of Arthur riding to the gate on the back of his stallion, the witch's demon-wolf streaking by at his side. Ordering the gates opened, Arthur rode out of the fort, the wolf easily out running the Commander's stead before they both disappeared into the tree line on the edge of the forest.

"Good riddance." A tavern wench said to her newest customer, a soldier with enough coin to make even his pock marked face alluring. "That whore of a witch is probably dead. Bled out from her wound if God saw fit to judge her."

* * *

The infirmary was so quiet Nayla was scared Etain would die without anyone knowing. The older girl was barely breathing and blood still seeped from her wound.

"Why wont it stop bleeding?" she asked Rhian who was trying to sew up the deep cut.

Rhian glanced up at Dagonet's impassive face, drawing calm from his stoic countenance. "The poison thins the blood. Before it poisons the organs of its victim. The wound will take time to clot." She said quickly before looking to Lancelot. "Will your scout be able to find the plant we need."

Lancelot, the man who was ever jovial, moved uncomfortably where he was leaning against the wall opposite the infirmary cot. "If the plant grows in this forest, Tristan will find it."

The sound of claws skittering on the wooden floor and booted feet coming toward the infirmary door broke the oppressive pall over the room.

The door flew open a few moments later and Tristan, Arthur and Etain's wolf burst into the room.

"Did you find it?" Aelia asked immediately.

Arden slunk to his mistress's side as Tristan handed Rhian two bulging saddle bags.

Taking them from him, Rhian moved to a small cauldron of boiling water which sat over a bowl of hot coals. "I need two of you to hold her down." She said, seeping the roots of the Blood Leaf in the water. "I need her to drink all of this even if her body rejects it."

Tristan and Arthur stepped forward. Taking Etain's ankles, Arthur knelt at the foot of the cot while Tristan pushed down on her shoulders from where he stood beside it.

As Rhian stepped from the cauldron with a small bowl of the steaming liquid she looked up at everyone else in the room. "This will be violent. Even if it works in clearing the poison from her system she may well die. If you wish to leave, do so now."

No one moved. Arden went so far as to squeeze himself under Etain's cot and lay down. With a resigned nod, Rhian leant over her sister and opened her mouth, forcing her to swallow the bitter brew. She and Dagonet forced bowl after bowl of the liquid down her throat. When they were halfway through the cauldron of liquid Etain's body began to revolt. She started to fight the hands that where holding her down even though she was still unconscious.

"Hold her." Rhian commanded. "She must finish all of it."

Eanna sobbed and looked away as blood red bubbles frothed up between Etain's lips. Lancelot caught her by the shoulders, looking steadily into her eyes. "She will live." He said gently. "She has Arthur's prayers and the strength of our people. She will survive."

Finally, Rhian fed Etain the last bowl of the cure and the others in the room waited with baited breath as her body went limp. Rhian reached out and felt her forehead. The fever was still there and her skin was pale.

"Please, Goddess." The small healer prayed. "Let her live."

Arthur bowed his head, his lips moving in silent prayer as they waited for Etain to react in some way.

The next moment things became as violent as Rhian had said. Etain's eyes flew open and a gut-wrenching scream of pain tore from her. Throwing off Arthur and Tristan's hands she vomited over the side of the cot. It was only Rhian's knowledge of the poison that meant she was there with a bowl and a damp, cool cloth to help her sister. Those in the room would swear later that the sight of the red liquid, now turned a dark crimson, being expelled was enough to curdle even the most hardened warrior's stomach.

Dagonet held Etain's shoulders as she violently retched again and more of the liquid filled the bowl. Aelia moved passed the others in the room, those who had turned away and those who had not, and knelt beside Rhian stroking Etain's hair and humming an old Sarmation lullaby to sooth her as the sickness passed.

"Is she cured?" Eanna asked, her voice trembling.

Rhian looked up from Etain's now peaceful features. "If this fever breaks then she will survive." She looked back at the now sleeping woman. "But I will not know if she will be the Etain we remember until she wakes."

* * *

After Rhian had settle Etain and sent the others out of the infirmary, she had been forced to discard her sister's leathers and calf length tunic to the laundry pile as they had stiffened with sweat and were making the wounded woman uncomfortable. That task accomplished, she pulled a chair up beside the cot and resolved herself to sitting at her sister's bedside until she awoke, Arden keeping both women company from his spot where he was stretched out on the bed beside his mistress who had curled up against his side her fingers twisted into his storm cloud grey pelt.

The sound of a soft knock on the infirmary door jolted Rhian out of her sleep. Glancing at Etain and Arden she noticed that the wolf wasn't on the offensive and so whoever was at the door was not a threat. With a gentle sigh, the healer got up from her chair gracefully and stepped to the door. She recognised Gawain as soon as the door was open.

"Thought I'd bring you something to eat." He said awkwardly, holding out a bowl of thick steaming stew with a slab of soft bread balanced on the bowl's lip and a spoon sticking out of the heavenly smelling meal.

Smiling Rhian took the proffered food from his hands. "Thank you, Sir." She said looking up into his blue eyes.

She stepped back just as awkward as he only to stop as he spoke again.

"You may call me Gawain, Lady." He said. "'Tis the least I can do after I scared you today." He told her remembering how she had fit so perfectly in his arms as she leaned into him for comfort.

Rhian bit her lip as she put her bowl of stew down on a small table near the door, not realising how beautiful she looked to Gawain in the light cast by the low fire in the room. "I am sorry for hitting you, Si…Gawain. I should not have lashed out, you were just trying to help my sister and I took out my frustration on you."

With a rueful smile and rubbing his jaw at the memory of the strike, Gawain shook his head. "I shouldn't have goaded you, Lady. You were afraid of loosing your friend and had no way to help her. 'Tis my fault for scaring you." His demeanour changed suddenly and his grin widened. "I must say you have a strong arm. Don't think I've been as stunned by the slap of a wench since Vanora saw fit to teach me not to get Bors drunk for my own amusement."

Rhian couldn't stifle the giggle that burst forth at the image Gawain painted of Vanora's wrath.

"You should smile more, Lady. It suits you." Gawain told her, his smile gone but his eyes soft with an emotion she couldn't name.

A soft blush burned her cheeks as she took a breath and stepped back from the door. "Do you wish to sit with me Gawain, share my food?" She asked boldly. "There is enough bread there to feed an army and sitting here alone means I have nothing to do but think about what has happened."

Gawain's smile was back on his face before she had even stopped talking, turning the warrior's countenance into the visage of a little boy who had just been given something he had wanted. "I am a knight, Lady and it would be a poor thing if I refused an invitation of company." He told her with a very Lancelot like bow at the waist.

Rhian's rose red lips turned up at the corners as she tried unsuccessfully to hide a smile. "My thanks, Sir Knight." She said watching him step over the threshold of the infirmary room and pat Arden's head as he moved passed Etain's cot and pulled another chair near Rhian's vacated seat.

Checking Etain's temperature and then pulling an extra blanket over the sleeping woman's form, Rhian turned and offered Gawain a spare bowl and spoon before dividing her stew and bread and settling herself in the seat beside him.

They talked of many things, of their families, of the other priestesses and knights. But most of all they talked of Sarmatia, of the memories they had of their homeland and of their wish to see it again but their knowledge that they probably never would, at least not in this lifetime. By the time Gawain left, the fire had burnt down to embers in its grate and the fort was starting to stir, ready for another day.

"Thank you for your company tonight, Gawain. I would have been left alone in the dark with my demons had it not been for you." She smiled.

Gawain took the two bowls she had in her hands and nodded. "Come find me or one of the other knights if you need anything, Lady."

Rhian caught his sleeve as he turned to leave. "Rhian." She said quietly. "Call me Rhian."

Gawain smiled a smile that set her heart pounding. "All right then, Rhian." He leaned forward suddenly and brushed his lips over her cheek. "Until next time."

He was gone before she even had a chance to react, leaving her with a soft smile on her lips and her fingers on her cheek where he had kissed her.

* * *

"Awake, little one, and come to me." The heavenly voice filled Etain's mind and dissolved her dreams. "Come to me strong willed priestess so that your destiny may be fulfilled."

Etain's eyes opened to the sight of her faithful wolf's fur tipped with golden light thrown from the embers in the grate of her infirmary room. Moving slightly, she sat up, noticing as she did that he neither woke nor even stirred when she moved.

"He will not wake, little one. No one will, save for the one that is yours." The voice told her as she glanced to her left to see Rhian slumbering in a chair near the fire, Gawain asleep at her side, their heads together, hers on his shoulder and his on top of hers.

"They have found each other faster than even I knew they would." The voice said again. The moon came out from between the clouds and cast a pool of silver light stretching from Etain's cot to the door. "Go now and meet him."

The need to leave the room was so great, Etain could not fight it. She pushed back her blankets and lowered her feet over the side of the cot. The floor, which should have been unbearably cold, felt warm to the touch. She stood up and the folds of her shift fell down around her ankles.

Silently, Etain followed the path of moon light to the door. It opened silently and she stepped out into the hall. Turning left, she followed the pull in her chest and mind that was telling her to go outside. She walked quickly and near silently, stopping only when her feet touched the dirt outside the fort's infirmary building.

Lifting her face to the sky Etain stared up at the moon as dark clouds settled over its surface again, blotting out its silvery light and casting everything around her into shadow. This was the witching hour, the time when there was no one around and everything was still.

"Come to me, little one. I am holding my beloved ones close. Come to me."

Etain could do nothing but follow the call, the pull of her Goddess. She walked toward the south of the fort, toward her people's bones which lay in the foreign earth on which she walked.

* * *

Tristan stood on the battlements, ever watchful. But tonight, he did not look to the north into the country of the Woads. Rather, his eyes were trained on the hills south of the fort, and more importantly on the hill where his fallen brothers-in-arms lay at their eternal rest. A flicker of white had caught his eye as he watched his hawk circle over the northern forest before looping south over the fort. Following her path he had seen a figure in a white dress climbing the hill. He was too far away to see who it was and was about to turn away without further thought on the matter when the moon broke through the clouds again. The scout recognised the movement of the figure then. He had never known anyone else that walked with such grace and fluidity. The figure was Etain. His gaze was drawn to her as she knelt beside her sister's grave. The fire bowl on top of the burial mound had been extinguished by the elements long before but the moon that was now out in full fell upon her figure and made the white of her shift look as if it glowed. Ready to curse himself a fool for thinking such inane thoughts, Tristan shook himself and moved to leave the battlements for the warmth of his bed.

It was then that something stopped him. After that night, if anyone had cared to ask him what had made him stop Tristan would not have been able to tell them. It was a feeling. Something in his bones that made him turn in the opposite direction of his quarters and start to make his way toward the graveyard.

* * *

Etain felt the dew on the grass under her soaking into her shift. Her fingers had started to stiffen in the cold. Getting up from the ground she felt anger well up inside her.

"Why must he be mine, Goddess?" She hissed pacing angrily at the head of her sister's grave. "I wish my death to be as I choose it. I have lost all that I love, my land, my sister, and now you wish me to give myself to a man who has been a slave to Rome for nearly fifteen years? I cannot. I will not. It would be as if I were giving away my freedom and that I could never do."

"What are you afraid of, little priestess?" The voice asked her. "Do you not believe that I will protect my beloved ones? Do you not have faith that you will be stronger with this man than you would be alone?"

Shivering at the quiet rebuke in those words Etain lifted her chin, defiance in the movement. "I wish for death. Not this. Never this."

"You wish for death, eh?" The smoky voice came from behind her. Etain whorled around to see Arthur's scout standing between her and the fort, his arms folded across his chest and his wild hair obscuring his eyes so that she could not read his face, even in the light of the moon. "We all wish for death one day, woman. It is why we fight."

Etain clenched her teeth. "Why are you here?" She hissed, enraged and frightened at the thought of being here alone with this man.

Tristan cocked his head to the side a little, regarding her silently before he answered. "You were sick. You should not be here." He said, unknowingly scaring her even more.

"My sister is buried here-"

He interrupted her harsh reply. "My brothers lay in this earth."

Clenching her fingers into her shift, Etain studied him with her dark gaze. "Do you not fear that I will use my demonic powers on you?"

The corner of the scout's sensual mouth curled up slightly at her words before he started to circle her. "I do not fear my enemies."

His words in equal parts thrilled and tore at her. "You wish for death as much as I do." It was not a question and so he did not answer it. In the next moment, Etain felt the heat of his body at her back and his hot breath fanned across her neck.

"Yeh, yeh. There is much blood on my hands, girl. Roman blood and Woad. When I die I will not be welcomed into paradise."

She hated how those words saddened her. How the heat of him and the feel of his breath on her skin and his scent pulled her in, making her wish suddenly that he would touch her. But it was not to be. He was circling her again, coming to a stop in front of her.

"You should not be here." He told her again.

His words riled her, anger filling her eyes and making her tense. "Are you still Sarmation after all this time under Rome's thumb, Scout? Or has Rome made you its pet and killed all that is in you that makes you one of our people." She motioned to the tattoos on his cheeks. "You are marked as one of the lords of our land, but is your honour still a part of you?"

She did not see him coming. The moment the words had left her mouth she was on her back on the wet grass, her coal black hair flung out around her head like a dark halo. Tristan's weight pinning her to the ground was made all the more dangerous by the knife now at her throat.

"Enough." He ordered his voice deadly calm but his golden eyes were filled with a fury that she knew had been building inside him for years. The knife was gone from her flesh before it even had time to soak up the heat from her body. "Go back to the infirmary and stay there." His order given, the Scout got up and pulled her to her feet before she knew what was happening. "Do not let me catch you here again until you are well." He added, turning to look out at the fort.

She knew he was barely in control of his rage but her own anger at being treated like a child made her snap. "You are no better than any other Roman slave." She said calmly.

His shoulders tensed and he turned slowly to her. "My sentence ends in three months. When will you be free, eh?"

Unthinkingly, Etain stepped forward and swung her hand at his face in a move that showed Tristan how fearful she was of him. He caught her wrist easily and jerked her towards him, his face a mere breath from hers. "Do not push me, woman." He told her calmly, his accent blurring the words in his anger.

She cursed him in their own language trying to twist her wrist out of his manacle like grasp but he pinned her other arm to her side and shook her slightly.

Her eyes widened with fear, the only fear she had shown anyone since she had gone into the service of the Goddess at age seven. This man could easily overpower her, her mind cried out.

Seeing her distress Tristan loosened his hold enough to allow her to put a little distance between them but not enough that she could get away. "Enough!" He said again when she renewed her skilled efforts to attack him.

Etain lifted her dark gaze to the Scout's face, her lips parted as she panted, desperate to be out of his grip but also wishing to hurt him. "I do not want you." She blurted out hating herself for her loss of calm and control in his presence.

Everything around them seemed to stop and that was when Tristan did the unthinkable. Etain stiffened as he leant down and brushed his lips against hers. It was the merest hint of a kiss but Etain cried out, throwing herself backwards out of his touch. She fell to the ground with a gasp. Her hand breaking her fall as she curled in on herself, trembling fingers pressed against her lips.

Tristan stared down at her, running a hand through his dishevelled hair as she raised her dark gaze to his face. There was naked fear clear in those large eyes. Fear of what that kiss had done to them both, of what it meant.

Scrambling to her feet Etain ran past the Scout her bare feet pounding on the ground as the wind whipped her hair into her face and her tears from her eyes.

Once back at the infirmary she curled up against Arden's warm body and pressed her face to his side, stifling her sobs into his fur. She fought the feelings that kiss had ignited inside her, praying to the Goddess that she wouldn't loose herself to them even as she knew it was impossible.


	4. Chapter 4

"She is not yet recovered." Aelia said following Rhian around her infirmary as she packed away medical supplies.

The younger woman would not look at her. "You think I do not know that?" she asked as she placed vials of powders and dried herbs back into their rightful places. "There was no keeping Etain in her bed let alone in this building. She believes Arthur will think her weak."

Aelia scoffed. "Arthur and his knights are off on a mission for Rome in the south. She need not have left the infirmary until they returned."

Having had enough of a tongue lashing from her oldest sister, Rhian turned to the taller woman. "She would not be stopped. It was like trying to cage a wild beast. She was prowling around this room for hours yesterday. By all means if you wish her to come back to bed, she is in the sparring arena, perhaps you could talk some sense into her." Arms akimbo the small brunette watched with satisfaction as Aelia paled a little.

"Who is she sparring with?" The taller brunette asked.

A shrug was all the answer she got as Rhian turned back to her bottles of herbs and salves. Hearing Aelia walking to the door Rhian spoke up, "She will do no harm to herself. Something has been eating away at her. It would be good for her to take it out on some Roman flesh."

* * *

Nayla and Eanna stood arm in arm at the fence surrounding the packed dirt sparring arena. Their work abandoned at the promise of seeing Etain fighting Roman legionnaires without fear for their lives or hers was too good to give up. And Etain's prowess was a show in and of itself.

Although not up to full strength the dark woman was as agile and snake strike fast as always.

The two women were pushed apart a little as Arden nosed between them whining for a pat as he watched his mistress twirl and lunge at her enemy.

"Goddess, keep her safe." Nayla prayed as Etain ducked a stab from the Roman soldier's javelin.

Eanna tightened her arm around the blonde's arm. "She will be fine, Nayla. Her sickness may have weakened her but she is still better than them."

Nayla sent her grateful smile as they were joined by Aelia.

"Goddess, I swear I will kill that girl." The oldest of the three huffed as she slid her arm around Eanna's. "She will get herself hurt, or worse, and then where will we be?"

Eanna could not stifle a soft giggle at the motherly tone Aelia used. "'Tis just a sparring match, Lia. She will not hurt herself too much."

Nayla's full lips turned up in an impish grin. "I would be more worried about her sparring partners."

Etain heard her three sisters laughing from their spot at the edge of the sparring ring. Lifting her head a little she ignored the trembling in her rapidly tiring muscles and bayed the giant of a man she was sparring with to step forward.

He was breathing heavily and had to shake his massive head to keep the sweat out of his eyes. Cajoled on by his brothers-in-arms he took a step toward her. "Come little witch." He ground out. "Come feel the bite of my blade." He lunged forward, the tip of his javelin catching her dagger and pulling her into reach.

Etain smiled and used the momentum of his attack to sidestep slightly and grab the shaft of the spear in his hand. She pulled him toward her and turned throwing up her elbow to catch him above the eye.

With a deafening roar of pain the giant stepped back holding his eye, a cut above it already welling blood. With him distracted, Etain jerked the spear from his grasp and swung the tip in a wide arc, stopping it at his neck the glinting tip just piercing his skin.

"Yield." Her voice was low and dark but her face was impassive as always.

With an angry scowl the soldier spat at her feet and walked away.

Etain dropped the spear and turned to walk up to the fence where now only Eanna stood.

"The others went back to their work but I wanted to stay and watch for a few more minutes." The redhead answered Etain's questioning gaze.

"Do you wish me to walk back with you?" Etain asked knowing that Eanna was still fearful of the Romans. She took up a handful of water from the bucket near their feet, splashing her face before she pulled the leather thong from her hair, letting the thick black tresses fall down her back.

The two priestesses heard the call go up at the entrance of the fort that Arthur and his knights were back.

Turning back to her sister, Eanna leaned forward, her forearms on the wooden fence that cordoned off the sparring ring. Etain noticed she looked more relaxed than she had in weeks.

"No, I need to trust that Arthur's protection and the protection of the knights will be enough to keep me safe." The delicate redhead answered. "Besides I am only stalling so that I do not have to drop off our latest delivery at the blacksmith's shop. The apprentice there looks at me as if I were a cut of meat or a horse to buy. His eyes seem to follow me as I walk and it unsettles me." She shivered before turning to Arden who had been butting her leg persistently and whining, begging her for a belly rub. She sighed putting her fists on her hips. "Must you nag?" she huffed down at the beast.

Arden ignored the tone of her voice and flopped down onto his side knowing she would give in and pat him.

Etain leaned on the fence with a hint of a smile pulling up the corners of her full lips. "He knows you too well, Eanna." She said as her sister knelt at Arden's side and used both hands to scratch his belly and chest.

Smiling, Eanna opened her mouth to answer only to be cut off as a hand tangled in Etain's hair and she was jerked backwards. Arden was instantly on his feet defending Eanna as his mistress was thrown to the ground.

Etain used her momentum to roll to her feet, pulling a dagger from her boot as she did. Throwing her hair out of her eyes, she stood slowly her eyes on the large soldier she had just fought who had been the one to throw her to the ground.

"You're dead, witch." He snarled. "You and your whore sister and demon-beast."

There was a yelp as two soldiers threw a weighted net over Arden, the likes of which had been used in the coliseum in the times of emperors and gladiators. Eanna was grabbed by another soldier as Etain took a step toward her.

"Maybe I will find out what that whore is really like." The giant sneered. "With her skirt over her head I'll easily be able to forget that she's a Sarmatian dog."

Etain's eyes darkened dangerously – the only sign of the rage boiling just bellow her calm exterior. "If you wished for a rematch, Roman, all you had to do was ask."

The giant laughed. "I would rather face a horde of Woads."

With a deadly smile Etain stepped forward again ignoring Arden's growling and the snapping of his jaws as he lunged at the ankles of one of his captors who had foolishly strayed a little too close. "Coward." She hissed. "A horde of Woads does not scare you as much as a single woman?"

The giant bared his teeth. "You have the Devil on your side, pagan witch."

"You're right." Etain said quietly. "I do." She moved suddenly, kicking dirt into the giant's eyes as she flicked her wrist, sending her blade into the shoulder of the soldier holding Eanna. He fell with a cry, clutching his shoulder as the giant rubbed at his eyes with a roar falling to his knees as he tried to rid himself of the pain. Cursing the Romans in her language Etain started toward Arden and Eanna to help them both. But the giant recovered faster than Etain had thought he would. As she went to walk past him he grabbed her ankle, bringing her down to the ground and pinning her beneath him. His first backhand stunned her for a moment but it was his next that split her lip and set her ears ringing painfully.

Etain lost herself in her rage at the sound of material being torn and Eanna's quickly muffled scream of fear. As the Roman soldier on top of her swung his hand at her face again, Etain pulled her last blade from her tunic, burying it in his hand to the hilt.

The giant's eyes went wide before his mouth opened and he screamed in agony. Pushing him from her, Etain stood up slowly, dragging the giant behind her by the hilt of the dagger still in his hand.

"Let them both go." She ordered the two soldiers still standing. When they did not do as she said she twisted the blade in her captive's hand, earning a pain filled scream. "Tell your men to let Eanna and my wolf go." She hissed her rage filled black eyes on the soldiers before her.

"Let-let them go." The giant yelled. "Let them go!"

The other two leapt to do as he said, letting Eanna go and pulling the net from Arden who got to his feet and moved to stand in front of Eanna who was curled up on the ground sobbing.

Etain jerked her head toward the barracks and the two soldiers dragged their wounded companion to his feet and ran, leaving the giant alone with Etain.

"It seems your friends have left you to my mercy, Roman." She hissed as she moved to stand behind him. She smelt when he wet himself in fear. "You threaten any of my sisters again or watch as someone else does the same, I will gut you and leave your body as a warning for any others who wish to do harm to me or mine."

"Please…" the man whimpered his face pale and his skin clammy from fear and pain.

"Please?" Etain snapped angrily ignoring the sound of booted feet running toward the arena. "Please? You beg for your life as though you have the right to ask anything of me." She twisted the blade some more feeling the sharp edge grate against bone and his hot blood slide over her fingers. The giant screamed in agony again.

"Etain let him go!"

The voice was unarguably Arthur's and Etain recognised the order in his tone. But she ignored him and whistled for Arden. Watching the large grey wolf pad over to stand in front of the giant, his ears laid back and his lips pulled back in a snarl she leant down to whisper in her victim's ear. "Tell your countrymen, if they so much as threaten my sisters again I will let Arden drink his fill of their blood and eat their entrails." The giant whimpered as Arden stepped forward when Etain clicked her tongue and licked some of the blood from his hand.

"Enough, Etain." Arthur said again but the Death Shadow lifted her eyes to the commander and whispered in her victim's ear again. "He has your scent and the taste of your blood just as I do. Do not think my threats are idly made."

"Please…" The man at her feet begged again.

Arthur stepped forward then, grabbing Etain's arm. "Let. Him. Go."

Etain straightened. Grabbing the soldier's wrist in her free hand she jerked the blade from his hand as he screamed again and nearly feinted from the pain.

She dropped his wrist and stepped away. Cradling the wounded appendage to his chest the man stood and ran past Arthur and his knights, standing at least a head over even Dagonet.

As soon as he was gone from the sparring circle Arthur rounded on Etain as she went to comfort Eanna who was barely allowing Lancelot to help her to her feet. "What happened?" he asked his voice only having the semblance of calm.

"I was sparring with some of your men, Commander. I won and that Roman lost. He took it to mean I had used dark magic to do so. He then threatened harm to Eanna and Arden." She told him as Eanna clung to her tightly. "I was protecting what is mine to protect, Commander. That is all."

Arthur was silent for a moment before he exploded in anger. "You dare use that as an excuse? I asked you if you would obey my orders and you said yes and then you go and fight with my men and purposely wound one of them?"

Etain's lips curled back in a snarl that made Eanna start to sob again as the dark woman let her go and stepped toe to toe with Arthur. "You Romans are so quick to defend one another. When will you learn that my sisters and I are nothing but whores to your countrymen? We are Sarmatian making us of no value. They use trickery and brute force to try and hurt us. I will not let that happen again, Commander."

Arthur glared down at her, his eyes dark with green fire. "You will be punished for wounding my men."

"No!" The cry wrenched both the Roman and the woman from their anger as they turned to see Eanna step forward, her eyes puffy and red and dirt smeared across her cheek. "No, you cannot." She said again and Arthur's anger drained away as he saw the torn material of her dress and the purpling bruises that were starting to swell at her jaw and throat.

"Lady, please…"

She made a slashing motion with her hand and Arthur's words died in his throat as he saw the effort it took her to hide her fear enough to help her sister. "I have already lost all that I have, Commander Castus. You will not take my sister too." She told him. "Your God is a god of peace and forgiveness, then I will ask you this, what would you have done if those men attacked one you loved? Would you fight for that love and cut down those who tried to destroy it? Or would you forgive and walk away?"

Arthur lifted his chin but Eanna wasn't finished. "If you wish to punish her then punish me as well for I bit and scratched at the one holding me down."

"Lady…" Arthur tried again but it was Lancelot that spoke up next.

"Leave it Arthur." At his commander's warning glance Lancelot continued just as angry as Eanna. "We are Sarmatian, Arthur. It matters little to them if our womenfolk are hurt."

The tall Roman seemed to slump a little in defeat, running a hand through his hair. And just like that the matter was dropped. Etain wiped the blood on her knife off onto her leathers and put it back into her tunic.

Bors however had to make a joke to alleviate the tension. "I would go and find the bastard that did this but Etain scared him into pissing his pants. That was enough humiliation, don't you think Dag?" He asked his taller brother who was moving to help Eanna walk back to her quarters but Lancelot beat him to it.

"Aye." Was all the tallest knight said and Etain had to hide a smirk, ignoring Tristan's heavy gaze on her as she walked beside Lancelot and Eanna.

However, the feelings his gaze stirred in her were harder to force out of her mind.

* * *

Eanna finally convinced Etain to leave her alone in her quarters. The redhead promised to keep her door locked and even agreed to having Arden stay with her.

Once the door had closed behind her dark haired sister, Eanna slumped down onto her bed shaking slightly. Remembering the feel of the soldier's weight upon her she buried her face in Arden's fur, needing the comfort and safety the huge animal provided.

"Goddess, help me forget." The young woman prayed softly as Arden's fur became damp with her silent tears.

"He will be able to help you feel safe my child." The voice of the Goddess was soothing and strengthening but the words frightened Eanna.

"Who will?" she whispered already knowing the answer because she had seen his face in her dreams and in her vision at the scrying pool and then every day since she and her sisters had come to the Wall.

The voice filled her mind and warmed her like the golden sunlight of summer. "You know him and he will be your all, the call of your heart."

Eanna looked down at her hands where they sank into the soft mass of Arden's pelt. "Why would he want one such as I, Mother Goddess?" she whispered feeling inadequate because of who this man was. "I have nothing to offer him. Even the promise of an untouched virgin was taken from me."

"He will love you because of what you will represent to him, child."

"What will I represent, Mother Goddess?" Eanna asked her tears slowing.

"Home."

A knock on her door jolted Eanna from her prayers. "Who is it?" she called tensing a little in fear.

"Dagonet, Lady. Your sister Lady Rhian asked me to bring you some poultices for your bruises." The deep timbre of Arthur's quiet knight came through the thick wood of the door and Eanna froze in fright at letting him in.

"Eanna, sweeting. Please let us in." The sound of Aelia's caring voice gave Eanna the strength to get up from her bed and open the door.

As soon as they were in the room, Aelia pulled the younger girl into her arms, holding her tight. "I am sorry you were hurt." She whispered into Eanna's ear before she led her to the bed. Helping her sit down she sat beside her, holding her pale trembling hand as Dagonet quickly and gently put some cool poultices over the swollen bruises on her face. He left them there for a time as he boiled some water over the fire in the corner and brewed a special tea that would take away the pain.

Eanna sipped at the hot liquid while Dagonet removed the poultices, smiling gratefully at him when the pain faded from her abused flesh.

When Dagonet had packed away his healing things again, Aelia put a hand to his arm. "Wait for me outside, Dagonet. I must speak with Eanna alone."

The large night nodded, his eyes showing only compassion as he picked up his supplies. "Take as long as you need, Aelia."

When he had left, shutting the door behind him, Aelia turned to Eanna who was still sitting on the edge of her bed. But before she could speak the young woman interrupted her.

"Is he your knight, Aelia?" she asked her eyes wide and a happy smile on her lips.

A soft blush rose to Aelia's cheeks as she sat down again beside the redhead. "He is kind to me, Eanna. He wishes to keep me safe and he says that he is soon to be free and will make me his wife when he is no more a slave of Rome."

Eanna's smile widened. "That is wonderful, Aelia. I did not know you knew him so well."

"He has been in the tavern many a time and when one of the local men spoke out of turn about me he defended me." Her serene smile dropped a little. "There are still nearly four months left in his contract with Rome. I only pray that he will survive until the end."

Eanna was the one to take her hand this time. "He will survive and the two of you will be married and have a whole brood of children to rival even Bors and Vanora's children."

Aelia lifted her grey eyes to the girl beside her. "You paint a beautiful picture of the future, sister. But I fear we will not be able to see it that way."

Eanna shook her head pulling the older woman into a hug. "The Goddess will not take away blessings such as this. This is why we came to this Fort and you will not loose your love. Not for years to come."

Aelia smiled. "Very well, sister. I will take you at your word." Pulling away slightly she helped Eanna lay down. "Sleep now, little one. I will bring you some supper in a few hours. With Arden here at your side you will be able to sleep without fear."

The redhead nodded and lay back, closing her eyes.

Aelia stepped out of the room and closed the door, careful to not let it slam.

"Is she sleeping?" Dagonet asked quietly as Aelia stepped to his side.

She smiled gratefully. "Yes, with Etain's wolf there she is not afraid." Slipping her hand into the crook of the large knight's arm. "I need to tell you something, my love." She added as they walked back to the barracks to drop Dagonet's healing satchel at his quarters.

Arthur's quiet knight put his hand over the hand of his lady enjoying the feeling of her close to his side as they walked.

* * *

Etain was woken by a light knock on the door of her sleeping quarters. Silently she pushed back her bed sheets and furs and padded to the door. Opening it, she found herself face to face with Gawain's mussed locks and tired countenance.

"Arthur has called us to the Round Table, Etain." The large knight said without a greeting. Before she could comment he added, "I know it is barely past dawn but Arthur has a new mission for us and says you are to be a part of it."

Etain folded her arms across her chest ignoring the cold air in the room as it raised goose flesh on her skin where her sleeves didn't quite cover her wrists and forearms. "You drew the short straw, then?" she asked him. At his confused look she raised an eyebrow and explained. "You were the one unfortunate enough to have to wake the witch?"

When what she had said finally dawned on him, the tawny knight grinned like a mischievous little boy. "Bors, in fact, drew the short straw, little Warrioress. He has to wake Tristan up from his slumber."

His words were punctuated by the sound of a loud thud from upstairs and Bors' gruff howl of curses in both Latin and Sarmation.

Gawain winked down at Etain. "Guess Tristan's up." He said as the devil himself came down from the upper level of the living quarters followed by Bors and Reta, one of the working women known to warm the beds of the knights.

Etain tried to hold back the sharp pain in her heart at seeing the creased dress Reta was wearing as well as the mark of a love bite newly formed on the older woman's collar bone.

Not one to miss an opportunity to joke at the expense of his bothers-in-arms, Gawain grinned at Tristan as he stalked toward them. "Good morning, Tris. How goes the night's festivities?"

At his words Reta's knowing look flashed to Etain grating on the Death Shadow's nerves.

The only response Tristan gave was a grunt and then he was gone from the corridor leaving a self satisfied Reta with Etain, Gawain and a still cursing Bors.

Etain straightened her shoulders and her eyes turned hard. Reta seemed to shrink under her dark stare and then turned quickly and retreated back to her quarters. Feeling Bors and Gawain's eyes on her Etain turned to them.

"What?" She snapped seeing their almost identical grins.

Bors shook his head and, never one to mince words, he answered her flat out. "You're jealous of the women Tristan takes to his bed."

The words weren't a question and Etain froze wondering how these men could read her so easily.

Gawain added, "You would rather it was you."

Again he hadn't asked a question and Etain sensed the new found knowledge would not stay between the two of them for long.

Angrily, the young Sarmation woman pulled two daggers out of their hiding place near the door and threw them at the knight's feet startling them.

"I do not like being rudely awoken, Sirs." She hissed before she slammed the door on their still smirking faces.

* * *

Once she was dressed and had quickly packed all the essentials she would need for the mission, Etain walked through the fort to Arthur's private quarters which also housed a room for the Round Table.

She had seen the table only once since she had come to the fort. It was at this table that her and her sisters had admitted to Arthur and his knights who they really were the day of Aeldra's funeral. It had been a day so filled with sadness because each of her sisters had found a name of a fallen knight that they had known carved into the top of the table where they had once sat.

Now, however, the room and its large table represented freedom for Etain. She could now be the warrior she had been trained to be.

Taking her seat near Lancelot and ignoring the name carved into the grain of the table top of one of her cousins long dead, she looked over at all that was left of Arthur's men and stifled a bitter sigh because if it had not been for Rome those proud and strong Sarmations would still be alive.

Arthur's voice brought her back to reality.

"We have a mission from Rome." He informed his men and Etain. "There is a small village not far south of the wall that has refused to pay its taxes to Rome-"

He was interrupted by Lancelot's angry comment. "Are we now to be tax collectors for Rome as well as fodder for her enemies?"

"Do you not fight well enough to be anything other than fodder for the Woads, Lancelot?" Gawain asked with a barely hidden smirk.

Lancelot's dark gaze flew to Gawain but before he could form a retort Arthur had interrupted him. "As I was saying, they have refused to pay taxes to Rome and with the empire withdrawing from its outer territories Rome wishes only that we go and rescue the Roman lord who established the village so that he and his daughters may return to Rome."

The knights seemed to calm down at that but Etain could tell they hated to be ordered anywhere by Rome.

"How long will the journey be?" Dagonet asked in his quiet way.

"Seven days and nights there and seven back. If we do not stay in the village too long and aren't held up on the road we should be back in just over a fortnight." Arthur told them before nodding to his Scout. "Tristan says that there is little danger of an ambush by any others besides outlaws."

Bors snorted. "Where's the challenge in outlaws, Arthur? I would hardly work up a sweat."

"Especially if Tristan finds them hiding first." Galahad mocked earning a snigger from Gawain.

Trying to hide his smile Arthur dismissed the knights to go and ready themselves for their departure.

With their horses saddled and ready and Jols leading two extra mounts, Etain, Arthur and the knights walked out to the courtyard in front of the south gate and said their goodbyes to those who would wait for them.

Aelia walked straight into Dagonet's arms but instead of breaking down or only holding him she went up on tip-toe and pulled his lips down to hers for a long and passionate kiss where it seemed they were the only two in the world. None of the others saw fit to tease them knowing that even though this mission seemed easy, there was always a chance one of them wouldn't be coming back.

Etain was hugged by all her sisters even as she noticed the lingering glances between Rhian and Gawain and Nayla and Galahad as well as the way Lancelot was watching a gently blushing Eanna.

"I'll be back within twenty-one days." She promised Eanna who looked to be close to tears. "If you wish I will leave Arden here so that you are not undefended while we are gone."

Rhian shook her head but Eanna and Nayla looked unsure.

Calling the large grey wolf to her side, Etain slowly leant forward and whispered a command to guard her sisters. The animal butted his head with hers before he licked her hand and backed up to stand at Nayla's side. Aelia nodded her thanks and placed her hand on Arden's broad back drawing comfort from his strength.

After the popping and groaning of the gates had ceased and the portal stood open, the knights, Etain, and Arthur bid a final goodbye to those that were there. With one last look at the only family she had left, Etain turned and stepped up to Chaos's side. Swinging up into his saddle she squeezed his sides with her knees and he followed after Dagonet and Bors' mounts.

They rode hard that day, through forest and valley and over land that was as unforgiving and beautiful as the rest of the country was.

Etain supposed that they were lucky they were travelling during late summer and not during winter for the ground was hard making for faster travelling. Every time Tristan rode back from scouting to report his findings to Arthur the call would go down the line of men that by the time they stopped for the night they would have shaved half a day off their journey to the village.

When it came time for the knights to make camp for the night, Tristan led them just off the trail to a small clearing with a shallow cave made form an outcropping of rock. It was well suited to their needs for that night. It was big enough for everyone to sleep out of the elements and it provided shelter from the rain showers that the area was known for.

Jols took care of the horses as Gawain, Galahad and Etain moved off to hunt for some small game to supplement their rations. Tristan had disappeared soon after they had stopped. Apparently, he still had scouting to do. Dagonet and Bors started a camp fire and stew and Lancelot and Arthur were talking strategy when Etain left with the tawny knight and the youngest knight.

They had just walked out of camp when Galahad spoke up. "Can you hunt without that wolf of yours?" He asked Etain.

She smiled, a bow held loosely in her right hand and a quiver of arrows on her back. "I hunted alone for years before Arden found me." She assured him. "I can survive a few days without him."

"What do you mean 'found you'?" Gawain asked stepping over a fallen log as his eyes swept the forest floor in front of them looking for any signs of quarry to hunt.

Sighing, Etain pulled an arrow from her quiver and notched it against the string, ready to fire the moment she found a hare or pheasant. "He has been with me for only six summers. I was out patrolling one night when I saw him sneak into our camp. He was hunting for food, drawn in by our cooking fires and the boar we had roasted in celebration of the new moon that month. I stopped him from scavenging and we both earned a scar from one another. He has followed me ever since and I will trust him with my life and the lives of those I love until he is taken by fate."

Galahad stared at her. "You truly are a Death Shadow." He said in awe.

With a smirk Etain lifted her bow and aimed it at movement to her left. "Maybe I am just a demon in human form, young one." She said as she pulled back the string and arrow until they touched the corner of her lips. Then, in between one breath and another, she loosed the arrow narrowly missing Tristan as he stepped out from the undergrowth. Her aim was true and there was a loud screech that quickly cut off.

Tristan turned and pulled her arrow from the bushes. At the end, impaled through the eye, was a large hare.

Lifting his eyes to the young woman as she strode over to him, Tristan's face for once showed something other than impassiveness as he arched and eyebrow in jest. "Lucky shot? Or did you miss?" He asked her, his smoky accent making her pause for a moment before she took her kill from his hand.

"Both." Was her quick answer before she turned on her heel and continued through the forest leaving the three knights in her wake.

* * *

The rest of the journey to the village was quiet. Tristan came nowhere near Etain and she went out of her way to avoid him. By the time the smoking chimney's of the village came into view, the other knights and their leader knew of the tension between their newest warrior and their deadly scout.

"They better have good food." Was all Bors said when they rode through the village's small wooden gates. "I'm starving."

Etain's eyes scanned the small collection of buildings around them. They were little more than wattle-and-daub shacks, but looked to be well cared for despite their primitive nature. A few children peaked out from behind the door of a hovel closer to the village green, and Etain realised the people there were scared of the appearance of a group of soldiers in their midst.

Arthur seemed to come to the same conclusion, and swung effortlessly down off of his horse. "They're scared of us." He said keeping his voice calm and even.

"Yeah," Bors grumbled to Galahad. "Or just waiting 'til we turn our backs to rush us."

Arthur shot him a pointed look and he quickly followed his fellow knights as they dismounted almost in unison.

Turning to the houses around them, Arthur raised his hands, palms facing out. "We mean you no harm. We have just come to take Lord Julius and his family from here."

There were a few moments of silence, before Etain's keen eyes picked up movement on the edge of the village green before them.

"Arthur." She said softly turning to watch as four scruffy and dirty figures were pushed out of a house that looked a little bigger than the rest around it.

"Take them!" A large man with blazing red hair snapped, pushing the man that could only be Lord Julius once more. "They are filth and have not stopped snivelling since we took back our village."

Lord Julius seemed to forget his fear when he saw Arthur and his knights and, in doing so, drew himself up and glared at the man. "We do not snivel, you British mutt."

Seeing that the leader of the village was at the end of his patience with Lord Julius and his daughters, Etain stepped forward at Arthur's nod and took the arm of the youngest girl.

"Get your hands off my daughter, Sarmation scum." Julius snapped looking disgusted.

But, at the vicious look Etain sent him he quailed. "Remember who is here to escort you to safety, Roman." She hissed at him quietly.

The village leader grinned down at Etain, respect glittering in his eyes before he bowed low. "Would you and your fellow knights like to eat and rest before you have to escort this baggage back to Hadrians Wall?" He asked, a tone in his voice confusing Etain before she deferred to Arthur.

"Thank you…?" Arthur nodded graciously.

With a look that told Etain how sure of himself he really was, the leader of the village grinned. "The name's Mikhail, Sir. And my people would like to thank you for taking these Romans off our hands. A messy execution would not have been good for those here, you understand."

"You seem sure of yourself, Briton." Lancelot quipped. "Perhaps it will be your downfall."

The red head shrugged before dropping his gaze to Etain again, the Roman family completely forgotten. "Or, it will be my undoing."

Etain felt an unfamiliar blush colour her cheeks slightly at the suggestive meaning in his words. She turned quickly on her heel and walked back to Chaos.

"You're not easily won, now are you, lass?" Mikhail called after her.

Ignoring him, her back rigged in anger, the young woman swung up into her horse's saddle and wheeled him around to face Arthur. "I'll be back soon." She managed to grit out before she squeezed her knees into Chaos' flanks and he jumped forward into a wild canter out of the village and through the meadow a few yards away.

Pulling back on her mount's reins, she threw herself from the saddle before he had even completely stopped and stomped her way to where the meadow rose to a hill and still she wasn't calm.

"That arrogant son of a whore!" She muttered angrily as she started pacing.

"What did he say to you, eh?" The unexpected voice from above made her start in fright which only served to make her even angrier.

"Why should I tell you, Scout?" She snapped glaring up at Tristan who was perched on a thick tree bough above her looking very much like his constant feathered companion.

Soundlessly, the tall Sarmation dropped to the grass at the foot of the tree. He shrugged looking like he could care less what Mikhail had said to her.

Frustrated beyond belief Etain suddenly could take no more and he looked to be the best person to take it out on.

Striding to stand toe to toe with the tall warrior, Etain grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled, her emotional control in tatters. "Tell me something, Scout." She whispered hoarsely. "Do you make it a habit to unravel every last piece of control I have? Or is it a talent you just happen to poses?"

The wolfish grin he sent her a moment later was completely unexpected. As was the reaction her body had to his response. His smoky voice sent delicious shivers through her as he closed the small distance between them and caught her wrist in an iron grip. "Do not push me, girl." He warned suddenly becoming serious. "You won't enjoy the result." The intensity in his gaze had Etain feeling like she was drowning. "Come to me when you understand what you're doing, eh?"

She recognised the dismissal in his words and her rage mounted. With an animalistic growl she untangled her fingers from his hair and spun away. Calling Chaos to her side she hardly paused in her stride to swing up onto his back fluidly.

Turning back only once, her ego stinging, she saw that Tristan had melted back into the forest, only the circling of his falcon proved that their latest encounter had truly happened.

The rest of the day was spent with the other knights. Arthur was in conference with Lord Julius leaving his three daughters in the care of Etain and the knights.

Having been pushed to her limits by first Mikhail and then Tristan, Etain was in a dark humour and the three Roman girls tried to keep out of her way. Mikhail, however, did not see her black mood as a sign to leave her be and, instead, she was sadly left to suffer through his innuendoes and vulgar jokes.

"Come on now, little girl." He teased a few hours later. "You would surely need a man like me to keep you satisfied. No boy could tame you."

Taking a deep breath Etain caressed the handle of her sword in warning. The man's loose words and quick touches, which he tried to pretend were mistakes, were starting to wear on her already frayed nerves when she hissed in pain and stood up.

Unknown to either her or Mikhail, the oldest daughter of the Roman lord had snuck up behind them and fearfully slashed at Etain's arm with a stolen dagger. At Mikhail's roar of anger, Arthur, Lord Julius, the knights and half the village came running.

"You little whore!" Mikhail raised his hand to strike the cowering girl only to have Etain knock his hand away as she stalked forward and stopped in front of the Roman.

"Why?" Etain barked out the question ignoring the blood staining her sleeve and throwing out her unwounded hand to halt Bors' angry retort from behind her.

The girl glared at her with both righteous anger and fear. "Because you are a heathen and unclean." She gasped from in between sobs.

Etain glared before she hunkered down in front of the younger woman and grabbed her chin forcing that hateful gaze to her own. "I may be all you say, Roman, but your god has seen fit to send me and mine here to save you so I suggest you be grateful."

The girl wrenched her chin from the Sarmation's grasp before she mumbled an apology and dragged her wretched body off the ground.

"You should've killed her for that." Mikhail glowered at Etain a moment later as Dagonet saw to binding the woman's wound.

Etain glanced at the knights who were once again milling around the village green. "To do so would have meant my kinsmen's lives would be forfeit. And that I would never do."

"And your Scout, lass?" Mikhail snapped before guffawing at the anger that flashed through Etain's eyes.

"He is not mine, sir. Just as I am not yours. I have a knife and you would do well to remember that I fully intend to use it the next time you put a hand on me." Turning on her heel, the young warrior moved gracefully to sit with Galahad and the small group of children whom he had unintentionally attracted. "Goddess, I need a drink." She muttered before she joined the game of drawing Galahad had started with the village children brave enough to come near the knights.

Feeling a shy tap on her shoulder, Etain's eyes softened as she looked up to find a small boy with his fist stuffed in his mouth staring at her with a naïve, wide eyed look that seemed to see right into her very soul.

Etain shook off such silly thoughts only to jump when the small boy patted her cheek before settling himself in the hollow her crossed legs made of her lap.

An older girl huffed and rolled her eyes before she settled herself at Etain's side and quietly joined the game as well.

"It looks like you've made some friends." Galahad said quietly his gaze on the game but the corners of his eyes crinkled in the beginnings of a smile.

With a small huff, Etain glanced at him. "The same could be said of you, young one." She told him not trying to hide her smirk when she saw the daisy chain resting amidst his dark curls.

Galahad looked up at her sharply. "There is barely a year between us. How come I am the young one?" he asked sounding put out.

With a small grin, Etain carefully placed her hand on the head of the little boy in her lap. His thatch of blonde hair reminded her of a boy she used to play with a few years before she left Sarmatia and went into the service of the Goddess. Without taking her eyes from his face or her hand from his hair, she answered the young knight's question. "Sometimes I feel as old as the heavens, Galahad. It takes me a moment to realise I've only lived one score and six winters." She glanced at the girl at her side and the children around them before letting her eyes slide shut and her head fall back to enjoy the final rays of the autumn day. "Blood cannot be washed away, Galahad, and to take a life means you loose a part of yourself. My soul is barely a sliver of light in my black heart."

With a snort Galahad dismissed her dark musings. "That's not true. You protect your sisters and us. Your soul is more whole than any warrior here. Besides, Nayla says the only reason you are in pain is because your tattoo won't let you forgive the things you've done."

With a sad smile Etain brushed her fingers over the cheek of the little boy in her lap. "Nayla is a good choice, young one. And she's not wrong," She pointed to the dark ink in her skin. "This will never let me forget. But, my mother once said that I was born in the dead of a winter's night and so I'll be cold forever." She turned her deep pain-filled eyes onto Galahad. "She was right."

Before the young man could form an answer, the dark woman had gently lifted the small boy off her lap and risen fluidly without even jostling the girl at her side. She was gone from the village green without a sound a few moments later and it was as if she had never been there in the first place.

* * *

The next day, after suffering through another round of Mikhail's innuendoes, Etain and the knights led the lord and his family out of the village more than ready to get back to the wall.

"I'm surprised you did not stay with your lover, Little Shadow." Lancelot told the Etain as he pulled his mount parallel with hers. "He seemed eager to make you his wife." The jovial knight grinned when she glared darkly at him.

"He loves no one but himself, Lancelot." She told him her voice tight. "Besides, what use would I have for a man?" With an evil grin at his surprised face, Etain wheeled her horse around and cantered to the back of the convoy to check on the three Roman girls that lagged behind.

Seeing how uncomfortable they looked on the back of Jols horse and one of the spare horses she sighed. "Jols, let them down." She said calmly. "Even with them walking we will move just as slow."

The scarred squire nodded. "Course, my lady." He dismounted and then helped the young girl that had been riding with him to do the same. The girl's older sisters eagerly dismounted, and the three started walking along behind the line of knights that were forced to walk their mounts behind Arthur and Lord Julius, as the latter continued to give his express instructions on how he and his daughters were to get back to Rome.

Swinging down from Chaos's back, Etain loosely tied his reins to the pommel of her saddle and let him walk at his own pace.

After a few moments of silence, the youngest Roman girl spoke up. "Will he not run away?" she asked nodding tentatively at the large black stallion.

Etain glanced at her before resuming her sweep of the area around them. "He has been trained to stay at my side and come at my call no matter if we are in the heat of battle or I am injured. He's a war horse, Little One, and will carry me to safety if I need him to."

The young girl's eyes went wide with new respect for the large horse at Etain's shoulder.

It was a while before the little girl spoke again. "My name's Octavia. That's Julia and Augusta." She told Etain pointing at her oldest and then her second oldest sister. "What is your name?"

Etain was startled by the question but even more so when the two older girls turned to her expectantly.

"My name is Etain." She said glancing between the three.

"Why do you have a tattoo on your face?"

The young Sarmation woman couldn't help the small smile that bloomed across her face at the tone of the child's question; she had grown up being given everything and so expected an answer. "It is the number of every enemy I have killed."

There was silence for a moment before Augusta, the middle daughter, spoke up. "What number are you up to?"

Huffing out a breath Etain stopped and turned to them watching as they stared at her with something akin to trust. "One score and five." Was all she said and she turned back to the trail expecting them to be too afraid of her to ask anymore questions.  
"How old are you?" this from Octavia.

Etain scanned the trees to her left feeling as if they were being watched. "One score and six." She murmured tensing for a moment before Tristan and his mount came loping into view where she had felt eyes on her back.

"I'm sorry."

Etain froze and turned to Julia. The younger girl looked sincere. "I do not want, nor need your pity." She told them anger rising up inside her.

"No." The blonde Roman shook her head. "But you should not have to live with that blood on your hands without knowing that you do not deserve it."

The Sarmation's brows pulled together in confusion, not at the words Julia had said, but at the feeling of relief they elicited inside her. Slowly, she nodded her thanks before a thought occurred to her. "The next time we come to a lake or stream I will ask Arthur to stop. You need to bathe and rest I think."

"Oh, thank you." Augusta gushed with a pretty smile of thanks. "Those Britons wouldn't even let us comb our hair."

With another small smile, Etain shook her head and turned back to the trail. The rest of the journey that day was spent in a tentatively easy silence as the column finally picked up its pace, and by nightfall they were only a day behind what was planned.

The next day, after Arthur had ordered that the pace quicken, Etain came through on her promise for a bath for the Roman girls who were now her constant companions.

At midday the group of knights and their charges had stopped to eat. Swallowing her pride, Etain walked up to Tristan as he sat with Dagonet. "Is there a lake or stream nearby, Sir?" she came straight out with it.

Tristan didn't even look up at her. "An hour's ride in front of us, just off the trail." He answered after a moment, not even raising his gaze to her.

With a nod, Etain thanked him quickly and went to ask Arthur's permission to allow Julia, Octavia and Augusta some time to bathe.

"Very well." Arthur granted her wish. "But you will have to watch over them. Lord Julius would not allow any of the knights to do it."

"Thank you, Arthur." Etain said quietly. "I'll make sure nothing happens to them."

When they had reached a point in the trail an hour and a half after their midday meal, Tristan rode back along the column and motioned in the direction Etain and the Roman girls had to walk.

With a sigh of exasperation, Etain took off after Octavia, Julia and Augusta at her heels as the youngest girl squealed in excitement and ran heedlessly into the trees to their right.

The four females were greeted by the sight of a large stream which emptied into a small lake before continuing off through the trees in the form of a brook.

Etain let the girls splash into the water fully dressed knowing Tristan would have made sure that the area and the water was safe.

"Come join us." Julia invited from where she bobbed in the water a few feet from the edge. "The shallows are warm and you must be dying dressed in all that armour in this heat."

Etain looked down at herself. The heavy tunic she was wearing made the late summer heat almost unbearable but she wasn't sure if she should let herself relax even though Arthur had told her that he and the knights would stay within hearing distance so that if anything happened they could help. He had also told her to relax and enjoy the water with the Roman girls but she still wasn't convinced.

"Please, Etain." Augusta begged. "The water is wonderful."

Making up her mind, Etain unhooked her sword and sheath and laid them at the water's edge, pulling off her boots and the heavy hauberk she was wearing. In only her leathers and linen shirt, she walked into the water until it was rippling around her waist. Diving under, she waited until her lungs burned for air and then broke the surface with a gasp. Panting she splashed at the other girls who were using the fine silt and sand on the banks of the lake to wash the dirt from their skin. Following their lead, Etain washed before she was caught up in a splashing game that reminded her of her early childhood back in Sarmatia.

Having ignored all that was around her, Etain was surprised when, having climbed out of the water to dry off, she was grabbed from behind and a hand was slapped over her mouth.

Julia, Octavia and Augusta were too scared to even scream. Pulling the hand from her mouth, Etain yelled at them to stay in the water as she slammed her head back into her attacker's face, breaking his nose in the process.

Dropping in front of him, she swung her leg out in an arc and caught his knees. He fell, unable to stop himself, only to recover and grab her leg as she tried to get to her sword. She screamed her battle cry and pulled a small dagger from its sheath at her hip. He pulled her under his body, kneeling on either side of her hips and grabbed at the laces at the front of her shirt. Thrusting the dagger up into his stomach Etain watched as his eyes widened grotesquely in his face.

"You should not have come." She whispered to him before sliding out from under him and pulling the blade through his belly, gutting him. His entrails made a wet slapping noise as they fell to the ground and he listed forward before dropping on top of them.

Etain had no time to enjoy her victory. Augusta's cry of fright was all that alerted her to the presence of more outlaws. In the next moment she was dragged upright by her hair and the blade was kicked from her grasp. Twisting to try and get at the man who had hold of her, Etain was grabbed by another pair of rough hands.

Wordlessly, they dragged her to a large bolder that sat near the water's edge. She was thrown on top of it and her hands and legs were held down.

"You'll pay for killing our brother." Came the harsh voice of the man who held her legs.

"You first." Etain hissed before twisting out of the grip of the man at her head. She grabbed his arm and swung a fist at his face only to have the vagabond that had spoken grab a hold of her neck and, using his considerable weight and strength, he smashed her head onto the rock below her.

Pain exploded at the base of her skull as colours popped before her eyes. Hazily she felt her wrists being gripped again as the man at her feet started to fumble with the laces on her leathers.

"Go wash your hands." He ordered the man holding her wrists and Etain saw bright blood blooming at several scratches on his hands and fingers.

Her gaze swung from his back as he squatted down by the water's edge to the three Roman girls and back again. In the next moment, out of nowhere, an arrow pierced the outlaw through the neck. He fell with a strangled cry into the water at his feet. Confused, she heard clashing swords and hoof beats growing closer.

The man who was standing over Etain froze for a breath and then he drew his dagger. Etain's eyes widened in fright as her body refused to obey her frantic and jumbled thoughts to fight. But, the outlaw had no time to even raise the blade for a final blow. Etain watched as the curved tip of a sword seemed to grow from the middle of his chest. Helplessly he grabbed at it while his lifeblood dripped down onto Etain's shirt. The blade was pulled smoothly from his body and he fell to the side. Tristan was standing behind him, his sword dripping blood, held loosely in his right hand.

Etain raised wide frightened eyes to Tristan's face. He seemed to lunge at her, and in an instant she was pulled from the rock and against his chest, his free arm wrapped around her back with his hand cupping the back of her neck.

The sound of Bors' battle cry and pounding hooves did nothing to calm her panting as she clung to Tristan's tunic.

When Dagonet touched her shoulder to make sure she wasn't hurt, she pressed herself closer to Tristan's body needing the comfort his strong presence provided. Her body visibly shaking, Etain forced herself to take deep breaths. Drawing on all her training and the mask she used to hide all her feelings but anger, she stepped back from the reassurance that Tristan provided and walked to the lake's edge helping the three Roman girls from the water as their father screamed at Arthur for not protecting his family, and discreetly righted her clothing with still shaking hands and dressed in her tunic and boots again.

When she turned from the water, however, it was to find Lord Julius standing in front of her. Her head still spinning from its strike on the rock, she didn't see the Roman's hand as he swung it at her face.

The crack of skin meeting skin echoed in the silence around them. Her cheek stinging, Etain slowly raised her head to stare Lord Julius in the eyes. He jumped in fright as she grabbed him by the throat and pulled him to her.

"Do not think for a moment that I won't gut you where you stand, my lord." She hissed into his rapidly paling face, her eyes glittering with white hot hate. "We were attacked by mercenaries and you could have died." She added before pushing him to the ground and stepping over him.

She left the lake and the men and women behind her, striding to where Chaos stood grazing she strapped on her sword again and pressed her forehead to her mount's. With tension singing through her body she mentally berated herself for not being alert. Her charges could have died and her Sarmation brothers would have been blamed.

Sensing movement behind her she turned to see Tristan leading his horse out of the forest.

"Thank you." The words tumbled from her lips almost too quickly to be heard but the scout lifted his shadowed eyes to her face and nodded once. The movement betrayed anger in him that she didn't understand. His body seemed to be thrumming with angry tension making the hawk on his arm ruffle her feathers in agitation and his mount snort and stamp his feet. For Etain, it was the most emotion she had seen in him since the night he had found her out at the burial mounds.

For some reason she knew that she was one of the very few people who ever got to see this side of him.

* * *

The rest of the trip back to the Wall went smoothly. No other vagabonds saw fit to try and attack the column of knights and their charges. And so, it was a warm and sunny afternoon when they arrived home. Julia, Augusta and Octavia thanked Etain for her protection and then allowed Arthur to lead them and their father to spare quarters to rest before they set off with a contingent of legionnaires who were leaving for Rome early the next day.

"Etain!"

The happy cry brought the dark woman's eyes up and she saw her sisters hurrying across the courtyard to her, Arden at their heels.

Catching Eanna and Nayla up into a tight hug as Rhian and Aelia went to greet their knights, Etain allowed herself a small smile of relief at seeing that they all looked happy and unharmed, as well as seeing that Rhian had followed Aelia's example and was now wrapped in Gawain's strong arms. Arden proceeded to nose in between his mistress and her sisters so that he could greet her as well. Sighing indulgently, the young warrior disentangled herself from her sister's arms and went down on one knee in front of her large gray wolf to pat him. But his gaze wasn't directed at her anymore. Sensing eyes on her back, Etain turned slightly, flicking her long hair out of her eyes to see Tristan gently stroking his mount's neck, his eyes obscured by his wild hair and his face as impassive as ever. However, Etain was sure that if she could see those eyes he would be looking at her with a gaze that went straight through her.

With a yip that made him sound like a pup, Arden bounded over to Tristan's feet and sat down staring up at the scout expectantly.

Feeling the tiniest bit put out and betrayed by her loyal companion, Etain got to her feet and allowed Eanna and Nayla to bring her up to date on the gossip of the fort all the while feeling Tristan watching her.


	5. Chapter 5

After the mission south of the wall, there had been little call for the knights to use their skills for Rome. And so, they had instead put their strength to good use helping to bring in the last of the grain harvest for the season. The young women of the fort who were not needed for the harvest watched from the edge of the field as the legionnaires, knights and other men of the fort, all stripped to the waist, bent down over scythes and cut down the tall plants. Then, Etain and her sisters as well as other women from the fort, followed behind and tied the fallen grain into bundles.

The night after the last field of grain was cut down Arthur ordered a feast to take place. Three deer and a boar that Gawain and Bors had caught that day were roasted and the feasting and revelry began.

The next morning, Etain sat at one of the tables in Vanora's tavern a whet stone in one hand and one of her throwing knives in the other, sharpening the blade to perfection with Arden sitting under the table at her feet being fed slivers of dried meat from a plate at her elbow. After the celebration the night before the tavern was almost empty and surprisingly peaceful, giving her the quiet she needed to loose herself in the soft scraping of her blade across the whet stone. Her gaze was pulled away from the implements in her hands and she looked up at the sound of Aelia's voice.

Dagonet was at the oldest priestess's side, his hand on the small of her back possessively. Etain studied the large knight's movements and realised he was acting even more protective of his lady than she had ever seen. The young woman also noticed that Aelia had one hand pressed to her belly, echoing Dagonet's protective stance.

A small smile tugged at the corner of Etain's mouth as she went back to sharpening her knife. The actions of the knight and his lady explained why they had asked Arthur to marry them the night before at the harvest feast. Etain could see that there would be another cause for celebration in the not too distant future.

The quiet was broken by the loud voice of a man sitting at a table at Etain's back. "You have a great many beautiful women at this fort." His voice was thickened by ale and a Roman accent as he spoke up.

"Including me or do you wish me to take my trade elsewhere?" Reta's answering voice made Etain's humour darken.

The wench was determined to ruin her day one way or another.

The Roman snorted. "All I need is a woman. If you're not willing I'll take my coin elsewhere. Perhaps, to the wench sitting there with her back to us." Etain's shoulders tensed knowing he was talking about her. "A woman dressed in leathers would be willing for any man to have her." The man added and every person in the tavern within hearing distance seemed to hold their breath waiting for Etain's response.

Sheathing her knife and dropping her whet stone into its pouch, Etain stood from the bench where she sat and drained her last swallow of drink. Arden didn't move from his place under the table, waiting for his mistress's next move. "Who said I'd have you, roman?" Etain asked calmly, her head bowed as she tied the pouch to her belt.

"If I have coin you'll want me, Sarmation." He told her a self satisfied grin on his face.

Etain sighed and turned to stare at him with her unnervingly emotionless eyes. "You may have coin, but not much of anything else." Her eyes swept over him and Reta in dismissal before she whistled to Arden who rose from his place under the table and then emerged into the open, seeming to grow into his monstrous form as he did so. Turning on her heel, Etain left the tavern, Arden loping along after her.

She was caught by Nayla as she passed the shop where the young blond woman and Eanna worked. "I'm so glad to have found you, Etain. I need your help."

Etain knew the petite blonde only needed her help for a dress fitting. Eanna had told her the night before that they were sewing one new dress for each of the priestesses. Sighing, but willing to humour her sister, Etain followed the petite woman into the shop.

"Here." Eanna handed her a bundle of cloth a moment after she stepped over the threshold and then waved her over to a small room. "Put this on."

Wishing she had never agreed to come, Etain stepped into the small room and swapped her leathers, tunic, and linen shirt for a dress of the richest green she had ever seen. The wide square neckline, long cuffs, elbows, and full hem were embroidered with deep gold stitching. A braided belt of the same gold was tied loosely around her waist. The overall effect had Etain feeling both womanly and horribly vulnerable.

"Do you like it?" Nayla asked with a grin upon seeing Etain dressed.

Recognising the excitement in both her sisters' gazes, Etain plastered on a fake smile and nodded even though she hated how exposed she felt in the gown.

"Good." Eanna nodded contentedly. "Let me just make a few adjustments at the waist." She caught Etain's arm and led her to a short stool. Helping her up the redhead then proceeded to tisk and mutter over this small detail and that, leaving Etain to stare at her reflection in the large polished bronze mirror hanging on the wall opposite her.

Nayla had kindly helped her pin her hair back from her face a little to 'enjoy the full effect of the dress', she had said.

Etain's gaze moved over the reflection of the dress again only to start when golden brown eyes met hers in the mirror. With a barely heard gasp, the dark woman whorled around to find Tristan and Galahad standing just inside the doorway of the little shop.

"We've come for those shirts and tunics, Nayla." The young knight said.

Etain's focus wasn't on him, however. Her dark eyes were locked with Tristan's partially hidden gaze. Heart hammering in her chest, Etain lifted her chin and sent Tristan, Galahad and her sisters an angry glare before she stepped down from the stool with fluid grace.

Gathering up her things she slipped passed Tristan as he stood in the doorway and nearly ran back to her quarters, Arden at her heels.

Once there, she threw across the bolt on her door and sat on the edge of her bed, her knees drawn up to her chin and her emotions and thoughts a jumbled mess. Again and again she saw Tristan's eyes in her mind and, again and again she felt the barest touch of his fingers on her wrist as she slipped past him and out of the shop. The only thing that kept her from bursting into tears from the whirl of emotions inside her was Arden's cool, wet nose on her feet.

A few hours later, Etain awoke to the sound of scratching against the window of her room. Scrambling to her feet, she pulled a dagger from under her pillow and put her back to her door wishing she had never fallen asleep and had changed into her leathers and shirt.

The soft scratching came again and then the shutters slowly opened. Etain jumped in fright as a tall shadow dropped nearly soundlessly into her room bringing with it a gust of cool, sweet night air.

Before she could utter a sound, she was grabbed and pushed back against the door, her dagger knocked from her hand.

"What have you done to me, eh?"

The dark, smoky accent, Etain would know anywhere and it made her heart skip a beat.

Tristan's grip on her upper arms became bruising. "Tell me, woman." He growled his words blurred by his anger. He shook her slightly. "Tell. Me."

Etain could just make out his face in the faint glow of the moon and her single lit candle. "I don't…" Her words cut off as he leaned in, his hot breath fanning over her lips.

"You fight and kill. You are stronger than any other woman I know." He started before his voice grew husky. "I find myself watching you. Even when I shouldn't." He moved suddenly, pulling a hand roughly through his mess of braids and hair. "Shouldn't call you Death Shadow, woman. They call you a witch and I think they're right."

Wordlessly, Etain stood ridged and confused as he seemed to throw himself away from her.

"Still wearing that damn dress, eh?" He chuckled darkly before hemming her in with his grasp again. "Goddess." He said it as a curse and then lifted his gaze to hers. "You're mine, girl. Understand? I would slaughter every last Roman dog that touched you if I could. Nearly slit that Briton's throat where he stood when he touched you, and then I got to watch that filth bleed."

Undeterred by his bloodthirsty look as he remembered killing the vagabond who had tried to rape her, Etain raised her hand and slapped him, the sound echoing in the sudden silence of her quarters. "Bastard." She hissed throwing his hands off of her arms. "You will never own me!"

Tristan raised his eyes to hers and she realised he had been watching her lips. "Why not, eh?" he goaded. "Tell me why I can not have you."

Etain struggled against him, all her training had never prepared her for a fight against her own body and that's just what this was, a fight against her need to throw herself into Tristan's arms. "I do not want you." Even as she said the words they felt like a lie.

The heat from his hands seared her skin as he drew them down her arms and curled his long fingers around her waist.

His eyes still locked with hers, Tristan grinned triumphantly. "You think I don't know when you're lying, eh?" He slowly drew her body against his, even as she placed her hands against his chest to keep some distance between them.

"No." was all she was able to say but they both knew it was a lie.

His gaze dropped to her lips and one of his hands cupped the back of her neck. He leaned in slowly until their breath mingled.

"Etain." Her name fell from his lips like a plea and in the next second her knees gave way and she fell against him, her chest heaving as she still tried to fight against what they both wanted.

Blinking back tears she shook her head but he wouldn't have it. With a gentleness she had only seen him use with his hawk and horse, the scout pushed a strand of her raven hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear. "Etain…"

Hearing him say her name again made her shudder with delicious tremors. Unable to fight it anymore, Etain lifted her gaze to his. "I am yours, my lord."

They were breathing in tandem and she watched as he swept his gaze over her face knowing that those weren't the words he wanted to hear when he grew angry again. She bit her lip, his scent intoxicating as it surrounded her. "I am yours, Tristan." She murmured before fisting the front of his shirt when his arms tightened around her.

In the next breath, he sealed their fate and caught her lips with his own.

She lost herself in the taste and feel of him, his hard planes and the gentleness of his lips on hers as they shared a slow first kiss. But, they had both fought their need for so long that the kiss soon became heated.

Etain found herself pressed back against her door, her fingers twisted into Tristan's hair and shirt as he broke their kiss and explored the sensitive skin of her neck and shoulders with his lips.

Soon they were moving toward her bed as Tristan slowly pulled the laces at the back of her dress undone. She gasped when he sat down on the bed and pulled her onto his lap without breaking their kiss. Pulling away slightly, Etain tunnelled her fingers through his hair, revealing his intense eyes as he watched her. Feeling embarrassed, she lowered her gaze. "Tristan, I don't know how to please you." She managed to whisper.

He didn't say anything straight away, instead, her dark scout covered her heart with his hand and felt it pound. "This pleases me." He murmured and then lifted a lock of her hair from her shoulder, rubbing it between his fingers. "This pleases me." Pressing his thumb to her full bottom lip he grinned and ran his hand up her thigh. "This pleases me."

Her lips curled up at the corners and she let him brush a line from her lip to her chin before she dipped her head and kissed him, catching his hand as he pulled her dress off one shoulder.

"If you take another woman to your bed, Tristan, I will gut you and her while you sleep." She murmured against his lips.

He didn't have to remind her of the same. With a primal growl, Tristan grabbed her hip and pulled her harder against him. "You're mine." He said before proving it.

* * *

The sun streaming in through her open shutters was what woke Etain the next morning. The first thing she noticed was how alive she felt. Her blood sung in her veins and her skin seemed to fizz with contentment. The second was that Tristan's heavy arm was wrapped possessively around her waist.

She could tell he wasn't asleep and so she turned and curled against his warm, hard body a small smile gracing her lips. With a sigh she lightly traced a scar marring the smooth skin of his side wondering how he had got it but not wanting to break the peaceful silence they lay in by asking him.

His fingers curled around her hand and wrist, halting her movement. "You're playing with fire, woman." He warned her, his voice rough with sleep.

She smirked and pressed her body to his. "But its heat pleases me." She whispered lifting her head slightly so that her lips were just barely brushing against his.

With a small chuckling growl the scout pinned her beneath him and started to heat her naked flesh with searing kisses and the barest of caresses from his callused fingers. Just as her breath started to come in soft gasps and his knee pressed between her thighs, they were interrupted by an impatient whine from the other side of the door. Etain huffed out a breath remembering that sometime during the night Tristan had ordered Arden out the door and then pulled the bolt across the heavy wood.

Tristan's head dropped to her shoulder as Arden's protests rose almost to a howl. Wrapping a fur around his waist, he left the bed and went to the door. Releasing the lock he pulled the portal open and Arden padded in happily, jumping onto the bed beside his mistress.

"You can't be in there." Etain's gaze flew from her trusted companion to the woman standing in the hallway looking between her as she lay in bed to Tristan where he stood all but naked in the doorway of her room. Reta's mouth was gaping open in shock giving her the appearance of stupidity. "No man could want her." Reta murmured still frozen in disbelief.

Rising from her bed with only a bed sheet to cover her, Etain moved to Tristan's side and took the door from his grasp. Ignoring Reta's gawping she turned her whole body to her dark scout and caught his amber gaze. He helped her push the door closed neither of them looking at or giving another thought to Reta.

* * *

When she finally made it out of bed later that morning, Etain decided to go to the sparring arena. The knights were there already. Tristan, who had left her quarters barely fifteen minutes before her, was also there.

"Ah, here comes your lady, Tris." Bors bellowed when he noticed her swing over the wooden fence and land on the packed earth below.

Reta had certainly made sure that the fort was informed about what she had witnessed early that morning.

Tristan hardly lifted his gaze from where he was sharpening his sword. Not expecting a show of affection, Etain let the small feather wound into a new braid in her hair speak for the both of them. She picked up a javelin, one of Galahad's favourite weapons, and turned to look for a sparring partner. Tucking her slender braid behind her right ear, the Death Shadow swung the javelin in a wide arc in front of her spinning it between her fingers. Feeling Lancelot's eyes on her she turned her dark gaze to him and grinned.

"My sister will get tired of waiting for you one day, Lancelot. You should make her yours before the smithy's apprentice beats you to it."

For some reason Bors found this comment amusing. His riotous guffaws set Galahad and Gawain off and even Dagonet had a small smile on his face. Lancelot didn't even look perturbed. His lips bowed into a perfect smile and he bowed low. "Well, if my brother can tame a woman such as you, Little Shadow, I have no doubt that I will be able to woo your sister."

Etain smiled as she looked at the weapon in her hands. "And if she does not wish to be wooed, Sir Knight, what then?" Her hand tightened on the wooden shaft of the javelin as she waited for his answer.

Lancelot huffed out an affronted breath. "I will leave her be if that is what she wants." He answered seriously.

With a nod Etain lifted her dark eyes to his. "Then she would do well to allow you to prove yourself." She answered him quietly so that only he could hear.

With a nod of thanks, Lancelot turned back to Galahad and resumed their sparring match, quickly pinning the younger knight as punishment for his earlier mocking laugh.

One of the Roman legionnaires there, however, had things other than sparring on his mind. "Well, well, Scout, you've clearly marked your woman for all to see."

Unconsciously Etain reached up to the love bite barely covered by the neckline of her tunic.

He smirked. "Or is she free to use? Will she be yours next, oh Monstrous One?" He asked Dagonet who was polishing his armour sat next to Tristan. "What's your price, wench? Two coins, three?" he asked Etain.

She lifted the javelin to her shoulder. "Best me and you shall find out." She said her voice tight with barely controlled anger. Out of the corner of her eye she saw that Tristan was feigning calm as he sat back to watch the match.

The Roman stepped forward a short sword held loosely in his hand. But Etain didn't have the patience to let the fight draw out. In one swift move she had spun the butt of the javelin around her back so that when she lunged at the soldier and ducked the swing of his sword she was able to crack the end of the pole across his face splitting his lip. Changing the direction of her swing while he was temporarily disorientated, she lodged the sharp tip of the javelin into his sandal just between his toes so as to only nick his skin before she threw her shoulder into his stomach and unbalanced him. He crashed to the ground and she used her momentum to roll into a crouch on the balls of her feet at his head, the spear's tip pressed lightly against the pulsing vein on his neck.

"I'm not one to be bought, roman. I would much rather see your blood on my hands." She pressed the weapon a little harder against his skin. "Remember that the next time you decide to leer at me."

She lifted her eyes to Tristan feeling the welcome heat of his gaze. She stood slowly never once looking away and then threw her javelin to a surprised Galahad before vaulting back over the sparring arena fence and padding away toward the stables, Arden loping along after her.

* * *

She felt Tristan leave their bed late that night. Pretending to be asleep until he had left, she waited for him to return worried that he was being reckless.

When he came back to their bed he pulled her underneath his body, his kisses and touch less than gentle. The same anger she had sensed in him that day in the forest on their previous mission was back.

She pushed him away a little and searched his face. "Tristan…?" her question was cut off as he caught her lips with his again. They didn't speak for the rest of the night but when the soldier who had insulted her at the sparing arena was found at the foot of the Wall with a broken clay amphora and stinking of ale, his head smashed from his fall, Etain knew Tristan had avenged her.

* * *

The next few weeks moved quickly. The knights and their ladies found peace in each other but as the days shortened and the weather cooled, the Sarmations began to count down the hours until they were free.

Nayla and Eanna had a delivery of tunics to the blacksmith to make. Both girls hated to let the other go alone because the smithy's apprentice would leer at them in a way that made their skin crawl. And so they went together to deliver the tunics.

"My thanks." The blacksmith bowed to them when Eanna warily handed the bundle of clothes to the apprentice as he stared at her through dull blue eyes.

Nayla forced a smile and nodded to the man who had become one of the few who were kind to both her and her sisters.

"They should not have come. I would have gladly gone to fetch the tunics, sir." The apprentice murmured his gaze falling to Eanna's neckline. The redhead took a step away, her eyes wide with fear and her hands shaking. She started as a large hand pressed to the small of her back.

"Do we have a problem, sir?" Lancelot asked the smithy who seemed to blink in confusion before he shook his head and stepped to his apprentice's side, dropping a heavy, work-worn hand on the younger man's shoulder.

"No, Lancelot. Titus here knows not to scare the young women."

Titus clenched his jaw, his eyes sliding over Eanna making Lancelot tense.

Etain moved from the shadows of the doorway where she had followed Lancelot in. "Perhaps he should be taught not to stare at women." She murmured in an offhand manner her gaze anything but nonchalant and the apprentice seemed to shrink beneath that cold stare.

He turned his eyes to Lancelot only to receive an almost identical look as the knight committed his face to memory and marked him as a danger to the woman he wanted to protect.

The blacksmith shook his head. "I will teach him, Lady." He said to Etain before bowing to the other priestesses and Lancelot. He then grabbed his apprentice by the back of the collar and almost dragged him bodily to the back of the smithy.

Etain smiled at Eanna before moving toward the rack of swords at the opposite end of the smithy, Nayla at her side, leaving Eanna with Lancelot.

"Thank you, Sir." Eanna said softly to the dark knight.

He smiled and bowed gallantly. "You are most welcome, my lady." He grinned before catching her hand and pressing a kiss to her knuckles.

Before Eanna could even so much as blush at the chivalrous gesture, Lancelot had winked at her and then left the smithy.

* * *

Aelia awoke to the feel of her husband's lips on her own. She smiled.

"'Morning, my love." Dagonet murmured to her tenderly, his lips pressing to hers again as she lifted those sparkling dark eyes to his face. He then proceeded to fulfil his morning ritual. Pushing the linens of their bed from her body, he leant down and kissed and then pressed his forehead to her burgeoning belly, a small smile of pleasure turning his scarred and war hardened features into a gentle countenance.

"You are to be freed today." Aelia whispered brushing her fingers over his stubble covered scalp.

"Aye." Was his only answer as he lifted his gaze to her face.

But she didn't need any other. Her smile widened. "Our baby will be free this day." She added.

Dagonet's eyes slid closed and he let those simple but heavy words wash over him. "Aye." He breathed again, his large hand covering hers over her belly.

* * *

The knights readied their horses soon after dawn, Arthur had received a messenger from the bishop who was coming to give them their papers of freedom the night before asking for him and the knights to meet his carriage and lead it back to the Wall.

"Be safe." Nayla spoke softly to Galahad as he pulled her into his arms.

He didn't need to say the same to her for she already knew his thoughts as he hugged her closer to his body. This was the day they had all been waiting for over the fifteen years they had been in the service of Rome and now that it was here, Galahad promised himself that he would make Nayla his wife as soon as the papers were in his hand.

Slowly stepping out of her arms, the young knight smiled down at the petite woman who had made him happier than he had ever thought possible. Unable to keep silent any longer, he caressed her cheek with his calloused fingertips. "Marry me when I am free." He said his eyes wandering over her face.

She seemed to stand frozen for a moment after his request before she suddenly burst into tears and threw herself into his arms. "Yes, my love. A thousand times, yes!"

With a grin as big as his face, the youngest knight wrapped his arms around his love and swung her around in a circle before he put her down and kissed her breathless.

They broke away to the sound of his brothers laughing and cat calling, their eyes only on each other before Galahad stroked her cheek once more and then left to mount his steed.

He caught Etain's knowing look and grinned openly.

She nodded as if she knew exactly what he and Nayla had promised each other before she turned Chaos to face the gates that were opening before Arthur and his knights.

They rode hard to where they were to meet the Bishop and his escort. The horses seemed to pick up on their anxious anticipation and, once they were given their heads, they galloped all the way to the meeting point with exhaustless energy.

Upon arriving at the top of the rise overlooking where the Bishop's carriage was, Etain pulled Chaos up beside Tristan and his mount.

"As promised; the Bishop's carriage." Gawain all but grunted when the line of Roman soldiers and their horses emerged from the tree line, a large wooden carriage in their midst.

With a carefree smile on his face, Galahad looked to Bors, "Our freedom, Bors."

The large, barrel chested man closed his eyes and smiled, "Mmm, I can almost taste it." He growled before chuckling.

"Your passage to Rome, Arthur." Gawain added as the knights looked to their leader.

There was silence again as the knights and their commander watched as those that held the fate of their freedom in their hands moved through the valley below them.

A moment later an arrow burst from the tree line and embedded itself in the chest of one of the caravan's soldiers.

Etain's jaw clenched as the man fell to the ground

"Woads." Tristan warned Arthur.

It took but a second for the green eyed man to wheel his mount around and lead his knights into the battle. Woads burst forth from the forest and attacked the caravan and its guard. Blood sprayed into the air as both horse and rider fell beneath the blades of the Woad warriors.

Etain flew into the battle, Arden at her side. She slashed at the Woads, cutting them down to get to the Bishop's carriage. She was pulled from Chaos' back and used the momentum of the fall to roll into a crouch. The enemy around her seemed startled to see that she was a woman and she used that to her advantage, standing up fluidly, she cut down the first warrior who stepped forward. Many followed after him. The sound of a war cry behind her made her turn as she sliced a man across the belly. The warrior that was behind her raised his sword as he ran at her. He was stopped by a javelin through the chest. Etain raised her dark eyes to see Galahad turn his steed and pull his sword from the scabbard, cutting down another enemy near him.

With a sneer at the corpse at her feet, Etain moved onto another fight. A Woad grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her toward his chest, raising his axe as he did so. She threw a well-aimed fist up into his nose, breaking it and forcing the cartilage up into his brain. He froze for a moment and Etain took the opportunity to spin away from him and kick him in the chest. He fell dead at her feet a breath later.

She finally made it to the Bishop's carriage as the fight died down. Clicking her tongue, she signalled for Arden to move to where Chaos was standing, grazing not too far away. She stepped up to where Bors had moved to the doorway of the carriage. He pulled back the hanging material and Etain caught sight of a man in gilded clothing with an arrow protruding from his temple. Gawain looked into the carriage as well and after seeing the same he moved away, slamming his axe into the ground near the front of the carriage in barely veiled anger.

The babbling of Latin prayers from under the carriage made Etain clench her jaw.

"Save your prayers, boy." Gawain sneered at the man snivelling under the carriage. "Your god doesn't live here."

Hating the sound of his whimpering, Etain grabbed his ankle and dragged him out from under the carriage. Grabbing a handful of his clothing, she pulled him to his feet and pressed him back against the back of the carriage.

"You-you're a woman." He whimpered looking like he was about to run from her.

Unable to help herself, Etain tilted her head to the side and looked him in the eyes. "No I'm not, Roman." She whispered before stepping away from him and pulling Gawain's axe from the ground, throwing it to him as Arthur dismounted and moved to the doorway of the carriage.

"What a bloody mess." Bors said pointing to the corpse inside.

Arthur studied it for a moment, "That's not the Bishop." He said before walking to look at the company of soldiers still on horseback.

"God help us." The snivelling Roman said, his head bowed and his eyes diverted from the death around him. "What are they?"

Bors saw fit to answer him and Etain watched on with a cold smirk as he scared the man even more. "Blue demons that eat Christians alive." He turned and pointed a finger in the man's face making him start in fright. "You're not a Christian, are you?"

The man started to shake and clasp his hands together in petrified prayer.

"Does this really work?" Bors asked before clasping his hands together as well and closing his eyes, mumbling under his breath. He stopped and looked around. "Nothing." He murmured. "Maybe I'm not doing it right."

Lancelot smirked and Galahad grinned at the jibe. Etain merely whistled for her mount and Arden, and then watched in fascination as Tristan licked the blood from his knuckles as he sat atop his own steed.

Arthur moved toward the group of legionnaires near the carriage only to have one of them bar his way. Gawain and Bors stepped forward, their weapons drawn, Etain moved with them, slipping a throwing dagger from her protective leather jerkin, ready in case these romans turned on her and those she had sworn to protect.

"Stand down." The man that acted like their commander ordered.

The soldier turned his horse and moved out of the way and Arthur stepped forward as Etain and his knights put away their weapons. Three romans walked to the carriage giving Etain a wide birth as they worked to get the corpse out of the carriage.

"Arthur. Arthur Castus." The older man said with a smile that Etain knew he wanted to look honest but looked calculating. "Your father's image. I haven't seen you since childhood."

"Bishop Germanus. Welcome to Britain." Arthur told him having to crane his neck to look up at the bishop who still sat atop his horse. "I see your military skills are still of use to you." Arthur added looking over to the carriage as the three men struggled to dispose of the body. "Your device worked."

The roman Bishop smirked. "Ancient tricks, for and ancient dog." He then turned his attention to the knights. "And these are the great Sarmation knights we have heard so much of in Rome." He said before his gaze fell onto Etain. "I did not know Rome took female knights."

She ignored him and ripped a strip of black cloth from the bottom of her riding skirt to tie around her knuckles which had split during her skirmish with the last Woad. She pulled the knot tight with her teeth and turned her back on Arthur and the Bishop to swing up into Chaos' saddle.

Bishop Germanus climbed down from his horse and walked toward the carriage. "I thought the Woads controlled the north of Hadrian's Wall?" he asked Arthur who walked beside him.

"They do. But they occasionally venture south. Rome's anticipated withdrawal from Britain has only increased their daring." Arthur explained.

"Woads?" the small scared man asked, speaking up once more.

"British rebels who hate Rome." Gawain explained in a bored voice as Tristan continued to suck the blood drying on his hands.

"Men who want their country back." Galahad added; his control on his impatience to be free slipping.

Etain let her gaze wonder over the woods around them still feeling the eyes of the Woads on her back, her hair blowing over her face and neck as she turned her head.

"Who leads them?" the bishop asked.

Lancelot moved in his saddle, "He's called Merlin. A dark magician, some say."

Arthur stepped forward. "Tristan, ride ahead and make sure the road is clear." As Tristan turned his mount toward the wall, Arthur led the bishop back to his carriage. "Please, do not worry, bishop. We will protect you."

Germanus smirked. "I have no doubt, Commander. No doubt." He said before climbing into the carriage.

The man whom Bors had mocked moved toward the carriage doorway. "Dozens don't worry me nearly so much as thousands." He murmured before stopping as Germanus closed the carriage curtain in his face, barring him entry.

"Thousands?" Lancelot asked before sharing a look with Arthur. The commander chose to ignore the comment from the small man and led the convoy from the valley, Etain and the knights fanning out around the carriage to keep it protected.

Etain's mood darkened as she felt the eyes of the bishop on her from behind the carriage curtain.


End file.
